Bound to you
by Redqueen78
Summary: Their marriage is the culmination of a century's long war. They never wanted this union but they have no choice but to make the best of it for the good of their people. Klonnie AU.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: So, I started writing this a while back but then I stopped and I found it again today and this was the end result. I'm not sure if I'll write more but I hope you like it. This is completely AU by the way. Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Bound to You**

Her body trembled as her sisters helped her get into the long flowing ivory lace dress. Small white and red roses had been woven into her braided dark hair while kohl had been applied around her eyes to emphasize their green color.

"You will take his breath away," Emily promised with a small yet sad smile. This was hard for all of them.

 _I don't want to take his breath away. I don't want him at all,_ Bonnie screamed inside her mind. Her eyes were lost in the widow across from her. Her family had been given rooms in the high tower of the castle and Bonnie wonder if she could make a run for it and jump down into the sea below. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocky shore below was a siren's song that called to her soul. But even as the dark and treacherous thoughts flowed to her mind, Bonnie knew she wouldn't be able to do it. She was a creature of duty and this marriage would secure the peace countless of innocents had died for.

 _Our people need this alliance_ , her Grams said the night she informed her of her marriage. _Too much blood has been spilled, it needs to end. This is our chance to finally bring peace. Emily is already wed, Lucy has been promised to the Traveler king, you are our last chance child. You will marry him and together you shall bring peace and prosperity to our land._

"He's not even the first-born son," Lucy felt outraged on her younger sister's behalf. "The third son, _third_ ," she emphasized while finishing lacing Bonnie's dress. "It's a disgrace!" She exclaimed. "Not only is he a wolf but he's not even the first in line to the throne."

Bonnie stared down at her hands which shook slightly. As the hour approached, the more nervous she became.

"He's beneath you," Lucy continued angrily. "He's nothing more than a savage brute who won't know the difference between a lady and a tavern whore!"

Bonnie flinched at her words. Throughout her life she had heard that wolves were savage beasts, not only on the battlefield but on the marriage bed as well. She trembled even more.

"The first and second sons are already married," Emily pointed out while also giving her sister a warning look. They did not need to make Bonnie more nervous than she already was. "This marriage has finally ended the war. Our people are celebrating and look forward to years of peace and prosperity."

Bonnie continued to stare at her hands. The heavy burden she carried on her shoulders threatening to consume her whole.

Lucy opened her mouth with a retort but Emily cut her off.

"He's young and handsome," she said gently. "Remember Greta? Her husband could easily pass off as her grandfather. Yours is only a few years older than you," she gave Bonnie a reassuring smile. "He looks clean, didn't smell bad when we met him, and still has all of his teeth, that's a good start, don't you think?" It was certainly better than what most of the girls they knew had gotten for husbands.

Bonnie shuddered thinking about old stinky Lord Devon and his pretty young wife. While the festivities of their wedding had lasted well into the next morning and drool slid down Lord Devon's wrinkly chin, Greta sat next to him and was the perfect picture of composure and determination. Bonnie had felt pity for her but she had also admired Greta's iciness and indifference. While another girl would have broken into pitiful sobs, the young witch had accepted her marriage and went through with it with her head held high. Bonnie could only hope she had some of that steel in her, to carry out the difficult journey ahead of her with gracefulness. She also had to admit how glad she felt that her husband wasn't as old and stinky as Lord Devon.

"He's still not going to be king," Lucy retorted.

"Werewolves don't choose their leaders based on who is born first," their grandmother's voice echoed inside the room.

The three young women turned to their beloved Grams.

Sheila smiled softly at her youngest grandchild and stepped further inside the room. "You look beautiful, my dear."

Bonnie remained quiet, she felt so nervous she couldn't seem to find her voice. There was a part of her that wished she could hate her grandmother for arranging this union but Bonnie knew that peace was something everyone desired, something their people had been looking to obtain for years. The war had torn apart families, killed countless, and destroyed their resources and land. In the end, neither side had won. They were both tired of endless bloodshed and had finally agreed to peace. What better way to solidify the peace than by forming an alliance through marriage.

"When the Alpha dies, his children and every other eligible wolf in his kingdom will fight to obtain the crown," Sheila explained. "The wolf who proves his dominance over the rest of the pack will be elected as king, that is the way of the wolves." She looked directly into Bonnie's eyes as she spoke. "Your husband could very well be the next Alpha."

"I guess you can still be queen then," Lucy offered her a small smile. It was a small consolation but deep down she knew her sister cared very little for such title.

"I just want to get this over with," Bonnie said her voice surprisingly calm considering the circumstances.

"He's a good man," Sheila told her gently. "Young, handsome, and a great warrior who has the love and respect of his people." She moved to stand in front of Bonnie. "You have a great burden ahead of you my child," she said sadly and with a hint of regret. "You will be the bridge between our people and the wolves, this marriage of yours will be the glue that will hold the alliance together. You have a duty to make it work." She touched Bonnie's cheek tenderly. "Love him if you can and if you don't…" she paused gathering her thoughts. "Try to make the best of it."

"Try to make the best of it," Bonnie muttered with a bitter laugh. "The wolves hate us! You really think I can make the best of it when I've been given to the enemy!"

"They're not the enemy anymore," Sheila retorted in a stern voice. "Some might hate you, yes. But you need to stop seeing them as the enemy. You must learn to get along with them," she advised. "They are your people now."

Bonnie bit back all the things she wished to say and looked away, feeling angry tears burning in her eyes.

"My dear child." Grams grabbed her face and made Bonnie face her once more. "I know how difficult this is for you and I am sorry that you must be the one to pay the price of peace. But I know that you will carry your duty with dignity and strength." She stared into her eyes. "May the mother goddess and all of our ancestors bless you and this union," she kissed Bonnie's forehead. "May the fruit of your womb live long happy lives, and may your heart find the love and the peace you do not have today." She paused, her face breaking with emotion. "I hope one day you can forgive this old woman who has sacrificed your happiness in the name of peace. Blessed it be, Bonnie."

"Blessed it be," Bonnie repeated, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

"Blessed it be," Emily and Lucy took their turns kissing Bonnie's cheeks and giving her trembling hands a gentle squeeze.

"It's time," Sheila said a few minutes later.

The four of them made their way out of the chamber in silence.

The most dreadful hour of Bonnie's life had arrived. She swallowed the lump in her throat and walked down the stone steps feeling like a lamb being led to the slaughter. She wanted nothing more than to run away, to take her horse out into the woods and disappear forever but she didn't. Instead of running like her heart desired, the young witch princess raised her chin proudly, straightened her spine, and proceeded to walk quietly and with dignity. She would not cry. She felt determined not to let anyone see the anguish tearing her insides apart.

Bonnie Bennett would do her duty, even if her heart bled.

* * *

The wedding ceremony was a blur. If anyone were to ask Bonnie what was said, what vows they made in front of the elders of their clans and their people, she would be unable to tell. Her mind drifted far away, to a field of flowers in the safety of her native land, where magic and enchanted animals thrived and lived free, like she had once upon a time.

There were certain things she remembered though, things her mind refused to forget.

Bonnie remembered being led down the path covered in rose petals. She remembered the golden rays of the sun bathing down her skin through the thick canopy of trees and the endless row of faces watching her as she was escorted down the altar by her Grams, Emily and Lucy walking a step behind them.

The ceremony took place outside, in front of the white oak tree with red bleeding leaves as was dictated by the wolf gods. The tree stood proudly in the stone garden of the Mikaelson castle, surrounded by roses of every color and whose perfume invaded the air around them. There were many wolves who looked at her with curiosity, others with disdain, and a few others with outright hatred. Not everyone in the land approved of the marriage. Not everyone in the land liked the idea of their handsome and valiant prince marrying a simple witch girl, _the enemy_.

Bonnie did not remember the guests but she remembered _him_ very well.

Her future husband stood waiting at the end of the petal covered trail, right underneath the huge oak tree with the bleeding leaves. He was tall and proud, his dark golden hair to his shoulders and his stormy eyes as blue as the Nordic sea below the castle. She had met him the day before when they had arrived on shore. Their journey had been long and difficult, a terrible storm had nearly destroyed their fleet and they had to use magic to remain hidden from the pirates that raided the seas. Bonnie had spent most of her time locked inside her cabin, wondering what her future husband would look like, how he would be like. _Would he resemble the man she had conjured up in dreams as a child? Or would he be the complete opposite?_ The reality was far different from the childish fantasies she had entertained once when she and Lucy had ventured into Aphrodite's temple and fantasized about the men they would one day wed. The man of Bonnie's dreams had been strong but kind, handsome but not vain, courageous but not bloodthirsty. Niklaus Mikaelson was a handsome man, he was fierce in battle by all accounts, but there was no warmth or kindness in his eyes and the disappointment that filled her belly when she first laid eyes on him, left her feeling uneasy and scared.

He had not said anything to her then, content to let his imposing father do the talking. She in turn had done the same, letting her grandmother and sisters talk and greet her new family for her. He had so many siblings she could hardly remember their names or their faces. She did remember the old woman accompanying his mother though, Ayana who had smiled at her with kind dark eyes and greeted her like family. Esther Mikaelson on the other hand was an ice queen who had politely welcomed her but whose snake like eyes told her that she was not wanted.

Bonnie jumped startled when he took her small hand in his so they could face the old white oak tree together. His hand was warm in hers but he did not utter a single word. There was nothing to be said, this marriage was set in stone and he seemed to want to get it over with as quickly as possible. Bonnie wanted the same.

His father and her grandmother were in charge of blessing their union. Many words were said but Bonnie hardly paid any attention to them. She stood with her head proud and her eyes set on the trunk of the tree right behind her Grams. They drank from a golden cup; the sharing of the special sweet wine was a tradition among the wolves that signified their shared journey from now on. The wine did little to warm Bonnie's cold skin, if anything it made her nauseous.

A small cut was made on both of their palms before they were made to hold hands once more. Their bloods mixing together and becoming one.

Bonnie felt the spark of magic in the air and looked down at their joined hands briefly. An invisible magic string bound them together in that moment, to Bonnie it felt like a chain forever holding her captive to the stranger next to her. If her husband felt the same, she didn't know, he stood next to her and continued to stare ahead, standing still as a statue. A sense of loneliness and helplessness invaded her then. _Was this how the rest of her life was going to be? Always filled with endless silence and indifference?_ It made her heart hurt.

"You are one now," Sheila decreed loud and clear for all the people witnessing the ceremony to hear. "One heart, one soul, one flesh." She placed her hand over both of theirs and muttered the incantation in their ancient language.

Bonnie felt a slight shiver run down her spine as the words were said, as their union was blessed and made official. They were now bound by blood and magic.

"May our ancestors bless this union with happiness, prosperity, and love. Now and always," Sheila said to them gently.

"May the wolf gods grant your womb fertility and many you birth sons to carry our name for centuries to come," Mikael said proudly. He looked directly at her as he said it.

Bonnie shivered. His words sounded like a threat to her ears. She didn't like the man.

There were more words said after that but Bonnie once again drifted away, to a far, far away place.

* * *

After the ceremony came the feast.

There was music and dancing and delicious food worthy of a King's son. The long tables in the castle's great hall were filled with meats, cheese, bread, fruits, and lots of wine among other more elaborate dishes the cooks had taken long hours to prepare.

Witches and werewolves alike mingled tentatively together for the first time in a century. Some did so more willingly than others, the majority however, stuck to their kind and watched the others warily as if waiting for an attack. A century of war could not be changed in a single night after all. This was merely the first step in a long journey.

Only a small group of witches had accompanied Bonnie as the alliance was still new and many particularly the older generation did not trust the wolves nor did they have faith in her marriage. As a sign of good faith, the witches had brought all kinds of spices, herbs, silk, and grains for the wolves. The wolves in turn gifted them with gold and precious gems in large wooden chests. It was rumored that the Mikaelson's had many mines hidden beneath their great castle and Mikael always liked to show off his wealth.

As the night progressed, the sense of dread in the pit of her stomach intensified. Bonnie was offered plenty of food but she hardly ate anything. She sat on the high table next to her husband while people slowly came forwards to offer them their best wishes. Most of them did so out of duty and respect for him, they could care less about her but plenty more were definitely curious about the witch girl that was now their new princess.

Bonnie politely greeted them and did her best not the let their scornful and judging eyes affect her. This was what she would have to put up with for the rest of her life. She had to learn to endure it. Once her family returned home, she would be left alone with them and she had to learn to take it. But not everyone was hateful or judging, Bonnie found the most pleasant of people among the royal wolf family itself.

Niklaus's younger sister the princess Rebekah, surprised Bonnie with a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Welcome to the family, sister," she said with a kind and gentle smile.

"Welcome sister," Freya the other sister, also kissed both of her cheeks and greeted her warmly.

"Thank-you," Bonnie whispered feeling touched by their kindness. She knew she had to make the best of impressions on her new family. Not getting along with them would only make an already difficult situation all the more painful.

Kol Mikaelson grabbed her by the shoulders and planted a sloppy kiss on each of her cheeks. "I think you're the prettiest of all my sisters," he told her with a laugh. Rebekah jabbed him on the ribs. "The prettiest indeed," he winked before disappearing into the dance floor with a young brunette girl.

"Please forgive my brother," Elijah Mikaelson-the second eldest son said. He and his beautiful pregnant wife Katherine smiled at her. "I'm afraid Kol does not know how to behave." Their two little girls, Ilia and Miraa offered beaming smiles. They were the perfect mixture of both of their parents.

"Your daughters are beautiful," Bonnie whispered before looking at Katherine who was proudly clutching her big pregnant belly.

"Don't let those angelic faces fool you," Katherine glanced at the girls. "They can be a handful and find cunning ways to cause mayhem around the castle."

"You're to give birth soon," Bonnie noted.

"The healers said it's a boy, I hope they're right." Katherine's smile was hopeful and her eyes shone brightly with excitement.

 _No,_ Bonnie thought. She would deliver another girl. As a witch, Bonnie could easily sense the sex of the baby. She hoped they wouldn't be too disappointed.

"If you have another girl, father will have a fit."

Bonnie frowned and glanced at her husband. This was the first time he had spoken and she found his accented voice rich and silky yet the words he said had everyone immediately tensing.

Katherine visibly paled while Elijah gave him a reproachful look.

Niklaus clamly kept on drinking, a smirk on his full lips.

Bonnie looked over their shoulder to where the king stood arrogantly talking to a group of men. She didn't like Mikael, from the moment she met him the day before, Bonnie had an uneasy feeling about him and judging by the way Katherine had paled at Niklaus's words, the king was not an easy man to please.

"Boy or girl, it does not matter," Elijah's voice brought Bonnie's attention back to him and his wife. "What matters is that the baby is born healthy." He wrapped and arm around Katherine and smiled lovingly at her.

 _This was a man in love,_ Bonnie thought. She doubted very much her husband would one day look at her with such clear adoration. In that moment, she couldn't help but feel a pinch of envy.

"My turn, my turn," the youngest of the Mikaelson siblings came forward bringing a small bouquet of wild flowers. "For you," he proudly presented them to Bonnie.

"Thank-you," Bonnie took the flowers and breathed in their sweet scent. "They're beautiful."

"When I'm old enough, I will have a wife as pretty as you." Henrik stated with a dimpled smile.

He was such a handsome and charming young boy, Bonnie found herself laughing.

"You still have a long way to go before that."

Her husband's accented voice said.

Everyone laughed.

Bonnie's eyes met her husbands for a brief second before they both turned to look away. That's how they spent the rest of the feast as a matter of fact. They went their separate ways as the wine continued to flow and the music carried outside. The entire hall was lit up with countless of candles as the night grew darker but the party continued merrily.

Kol danced with little Ilia and Henrik happily twirled Miraa around the stone floor. Katherine sat with Rebekah and a few other women, occasionally glancing in her direction. The eldest Mikaelson son, Finn danced with his wife while Niklaus and Elijah chatted and drank wine near one of the big windows. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Bonnie continued to sit at the high table, watching the crowd and occasionally taking a sip of her wine. It did nothing to calm her nerves.

"He's not going to ask you to dance?" Lucy inquired taking the seat her husband had vacated.

"I don't care for dancing," Bonnie muttered. She felt nervous and anxious for what came after the feast. Not even the four cups of wine she had drank helped to ease her fears. Her eyes landed on her grandmother conversing quietly with Esther Mikaelson and her trusted adviser, Ayana. Bonnie felt like she had seen that woman before but she couldn't recall from where.

"Your new mother has hardly looked at you," Emily commented while looking at the icy queen of the wolves. "There is something about her that I don't like."

"Me either," Lucy agreed.

"I don't think she likes me very much," Bonnie murmured. "Neither does the oldest son," Bonnie glanced at Finn who was with his wife, a tall red-haired woman named Sage. Unlike the other siblings' warm welcomes and friendly smiles, Finn and Sage treated her coldly.

"They must feel threatened," Lucy murmured knowingly.

"Why do you say that?" Bonnie questioned turning to face her.

"They say she's barren," Lucy whispered lowering her head to Bonnie's ear. "Seven winters since their marriage and she has yet to conceive a child." Her eyes moved toward Elijah and Katherine. "The other son has only girls," as a witch Lucy knew already that Elijah's and Katherine's third child would be another girl. "That means that you and Niklaus could be the ones to give the king his first grandson. That would be something that would give you an advantage at court and even earn the king's favor."

Bonnie frowned.

"A wolf who cannot produce a son is not a true Alpha," Lucy continued watching her carefully. "If Niklaus's seed takes root inside of you tonight and you bear him a son, he will without a doubt be the next Alpha, his skills in battle are already legendary after all. He'll have no trouble defeating all other competitors."

Bonnie looked down at her lap, feeling the heat on her cheeks. She did not want to think about that. She could deal with the ceremony and the feast but the bedding…she shuddered.

Emily took her hand in hers. "Don't worry," she whispered giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Everything will be fine."

Bonnie hoped she was right.

"You must be careful, sister." Lucy's face was serious as she talked. "You are in the wolf's den and you must be as vicious as they are if you wish to survive," she warned. "These beasts will tear you apart if you don't."

"I'm not afraid of any wolf," Bonnie muttered. Her eyes suddenly found her husband across the room. Almost as if he sensed her gaze on him, he turned to face her.

Their eyes met and held.

* * *

Hours later came the moment Bonnie had been dreading the most.

"Will it hurt?" She asked while Emily helped her undress. It was past midnight and the feast was still going strong. The wolves loved to drink and celebrate into the early morning hours. Bonnie would have been content to stay in the great hall watching everyone and talking with her sisters but the king told the couple that it was time for the bedding.

Bonnie had paled at the words and the loud cheers that had followed. For one terrifying moment, she felt afraid that she was going to be escorted to bed by the king himself. Thankfully, that had not happened. She had been escorted to the chambers she was to share with her husband by her oldest sister. She felt rather grateful that Grams and Lucy had not come with them. She loved Grams but there was a part of her that still resented her decision to allow this marriage and Lucy was not wed yet, which is why Bonnie felt grateful it was Emily with her in that moment.

"When he takes me, will it hurt?" she asked fearfully. She had heard all kinds of stories about the wedding night, some had been more horrible than others and considering how vicious wolves could be, she shuddered to think what her husband would do to her.

 _They force their women on all fours and take them from behind like beasts in heat,_ one servant had confided in her once. Bonnie hoped her husband would at least be considerate on their first night.

Emily helped her out of her wedding dress and into the floor length lace white nightgown, which had been made by their beloved aunt Ernestine who was too ill and fragile and could not make the journey with them.

"Emily?" Bonnie waited impatiently to hear an answer.

"It will hurt the first time," Emily murmured while avoiding her eyes. "The other times after that," she unbraided Bonnie's hair next. "Well, that depends on the man."

That did not make Bonnie feel any better.

"Don't worry," Emily placed her hands on her shoulders. "You might find yourself liking it," she whispered.

Bonnie flushed and looked down at her bare feet. "I don't love him."

Emily walked around so that they could stand face to face. "It's not about love," she confessed with her cheeks set aflame. "It's a hard lesson for any woman to learn but pleasure and love do not go hand in hand."

Bonnie looked up startled by that honest confession from her sister.

"Allow yourself to feel Bonnie. Don't be afraid to enjoy his touch, it will make things easier if you allow your body to relax and get carried away by the sensations he will provoke in you," her sister advised.

Bonnie couldn't find her voice to say anything so she simply nodded.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Emily whispered.

Bonnie choked back a sob. Her sisters and her grandmother were to set sail on the next day. Bonnie didn't know if she would ever see them again. "I'm scared," she admitted.

"Oh Bonnie!" Emily threw her arms around her and embraced her fiercely. "It will be alright," she tried to reassure her. "We might not be able to see each other every day but we can still communicate," she pulled away and touched her face. "We are sisters, bound by blood and magic and no matter where we are in this world, nothing will change that, nothing will break that," She swore. "Don't be afraid. We will be with you always."

Bonnie nodded, her sister's words giving her some comfort.

The door opened and her husband strolled inside.

Bonnie's hear quickened and her body shook slightly. The time had come.

Emily gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and rapidly left the room, Niklaus didn't even bother to acknowledge her.

Husband and wife were left alone and Bonnie felt absolutely terrified of what was to come.

The chamber was illuminated by candles and a big fireplace which created shadows all around them. The massive bed was adorned with white and red rose petals and the table in the far corner had wine, fruits, and some bread. She turned her back to him and waited by the foot of the bed, nervously keeping her hands together. Her heart was pounding loudly, her body was trembling, and her mind was over flooded with different confusing thoughts.

For a long time, her husband did not move or say anything. He simply watched her, which only helped to make Bonnie even more nervous.

Finally, Niklaus calmly walked towards the table and served himself a cup of wine. "Would you like some wine?" he politely offered.

"No, thank you." Bonnie couldn't stomach anything at the moment.

"Food perhaps?"

"No."

"You did not eat anything during the feast," he remarked.

Bonnie glanced at him over shoulder feeling surprised that he had noticed. He had pretty much ignored her since the moment they met and they had hardly looked at each other during the feast. "I'm not hungry," she whispered.

Niklaus brought the cup to his lips and drank all the wine in one go. He placed the cup on the table and walked towards her.

Bonnie's breath hitched when he came to stand right behind her, his hands gently pushing her dark hair to one shoulder and his head lowering slightly to the side of her neck. Her entire body shook uncontrollably by his close proximity. Her breathing became ragged and her eyes closed as he nuzzled the side of her neck.

"You are quite the beauty, aren't you?" he murmured, his nose slightly tracing the curve of her neck as he happily inhaled her scent.

Bonnie kept her eyes tightly shut, the heat from her cheeks spreading all the way down to her toes. When he placed his hands on her shoulders, Bonnie gasped not knowing what to do. The only thing she knew was that her heart was about to burst from her chest. He began to push the nightgown off her trembling shoulders, Bonnie whimpered and bit her lip, waiting for the worse.

Nothing happened.

He pulled away and walked towards the left side of the bed.

Bonnie's eyes snapped open, feeling surprised by his distance. She watched as he pushed the furs away, the petals scattering all over the floor. A loud gasp escaped her lips when she saw him pull the hidden blade from under his clothes. Her heart constricted. _He's going to kill me,_ she thought for a mad second. He did no such thing of course.

Niklaus pricked one finger with the sharp object and let a few drops of blood fall onto the pristine white sheets of the marriage bed.

"What are you doing?" Bonnie asked watching as a small red stain formed on the sheets.

Niklaus met her eyes. "Deflowering you," he replied simply.

"You don't want to…" she trailed off feeling confused and uncertain.

"Only a fool would not want you," he stated with surprise sincerity.

Despite her apprehension, her treacherous heart skipped a beat at his words. She wasn't even sure why. "I thought…."

"That I would throw you on that bed and open your legs and have my wicked way with you?" he questioned arching an eyebrow. "Perhaps throw you on all fours on the floor?"

Bonnie looked away, her cheeks flaming, and her mind in utter chaos.

"A savage beast," Niklaus muttered with bitterness. "That's what witches think wolves are, isn't that so?"

Bonnie stayed silent.

Niklaus chuckled. "You have nothing to fear _wife,_ " he drawled as he leisurely moved his eyes over her delicate body. The sheer lace giving him a nice view of the womanly curves hidden beneath. "I won't touch you this night," he proclaimed. "You have my word on that."

"Why?" Bonnie asked. She had never thought he would be the considerate kind. She had certainly hoped so but she had never thought he would spare her this. _Who was this husband of hers?_ She suddenly wondered.

"Because you want this marriage as much as I do," Niklaus responded honestly. "Neither of us had a choice in this matter but we can choose when to take that step, don't you think?"

Bonnie regarded him curiously. She suddenly found herself understanding his coldness and indifference since they met. He was trapped, just like her. Neither of them had a choice in this matter but they now had to make the best of it. "Thank-you, Niklaus." She was sincerely grateful for the kindness he was showing her.

Niklaus nodded and began to blow the candles around the room, leaving only the light the fireplace provided.

They went to bed afterwards, slowly getting into a comfortable position under the furs and with their backs to each other. The bed was big enough that they didn't have to touch.

It was a strange thing to share a bed with a man but it was something she would have to get used to. She curled into herself and kept her eyes closed attempting to relax and get some sleep but it was far too difficult with the warmth of his body next to hers. Even if they weren't touching, Bonnie could feel him nearby and his presence made her nervous.

For a long time, they laid like that, with their backs to each other, their eyes closed, and their minds lost in their own thoughts.

"Nik," he broke the silence sometime later.

"What?" Bonnie whispered feeling confused and startled by the sound of his voice in the dim lit chamber. She had just begun to get used to the silence when he spoke.

"We're married," he said quietly. "You can call me Nik."

"Nik," Bonnie repeated, a small smile forming on her lip. She could do that.

"What would you like me to call you wife?" he asked shortly after and still keeping his back to her.

"Bonnie," she replied right away. "You can call me Bonnie."

Silence descended over them once more. The only sound in the chamber coming from the burning flames and their breathing.

"Good night, Bonnie."

"Good night, Nik."

This was not what she had imagined when she was a child and thought of marriage. This was not what they wanted but it was the hand that life had thrown at them. They were bound together now and had to live with each other until their dying breaths. They had no choice but to make the best of this marriage. Bonnie didn't know what the future would bring or what her life would be like in the wolf kingdom but for now, calling her husband by his first name seemed like a good start.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thank-you so much to everyone who has followed, favored, and reviewed this story. By popular demand, here is chapter two. Enjoy!_

* * *

When Bonnie opened her eyes the next morning, her husband was gone. His side of the bed was empty and cold. She was in a strange bed, in a strange room, in a strange land. _I have to get used to it,_ Bonnie thought sadly. _This is my home now._ Home, just thinking of that word hurt. She sat up slowly and pulled her knees to her chest, wondering what her life was going to be like from now on. She felt grateful that Niklaus had spared her the bedding. With a single act, Niklaus had contradicted everything she had heard about werewolves. With a single act of kindness, Niklaus had shown Bonnie that wolves were not the bloodthirsty monsters her people made them out to be.

 _Neither of us had a choice in this matter_ , his words from the night before echoed in her mind. _But we can choose when to take that step, don't you think?_

 _Perhaps being married to him won't be so bad after all,_ Bonnie thought. At least she hoped they could find some common ground and have a harmonious marriage. She wasn't foolish enough to believe that she would find love in her marriage to the wolf prince, respect and harmony were the things she was aiming for.

There was a soft knock on the door before Rebekah stepped inside the chamber. She was followed closely by three girls; two of them went straight to the chamber next door and began preparing a bath, the other stood a few feet behind the princess. She was dressed plainly and kept her head down.

"Good morning," Rebekah greeted Bonnie with a charming smile.

"Good morning."

"This is Davina," Rebekah introduced her to the youngest girl. "She is to be your handmaiden."

"Princess," Davina bowed her head and curtsied gracefully.

Bonnie felt uncomfortable by the reverence, it was something she wasn't used to. She got out of the bed and Davina rushed to get her robe and place it around her shoulders. "Thank-you." Bonnie smiled at her.

"She will help you get ready and then we shall have the morning meal together," Rebekah told her with a happy smile.

"Oh! I can dress myself, thank-you," Bonnie replied quickly.

Rebekah gave her a strange look, even Davina seemed a little taken back by Bonnie's confession.

"We always made our own beds and dressed on our own," Bonnie explained upon seeing their strange looks. It was how Grams had raised her and her sister.

"Truly?" Rebekah looked a little scandalized by the revelation. "You didn't have any maids?" she asked in a shocked voice.

Bonnie nodded. "We had people to help around the house but my sisters and I did most of the chores. Grams didn't want us to take anything for granted." The war had also depleted their once gracious wealth and there was hardly any money left, certainly none to spare on servants.

"Well, you're a princess now," Rebekah reminded her. "You can't go around the castle without at least one lady to keep you company or maids to help you. It's the way things are done here."

"Oh."

"Davina was personally chosen by mother to serve you," Rebekah informed her.

Bonnie had a feeling that the queen was the kind of woman that never forgot a slight. She didn't have a choice it seemed, not unless she wanted to anger her husband's mother. She smiled at Davina. "Then, I shall be happy to have you as my handmaiden."

Davina smiled back.

The two other maids stepped inside the room then.

"The bath is ready, princess." One of them said with a graceful curtsy.

"Thank-you." Bonnie grimaced. She didn't think she would ever get use to people curtsying to her.

"I will help you," Davina offered with a sweet smile.

It was at the tip of her tongue to tell her no, that she didn't need anyone helping her with her bath but Bonnie opted against it. Things were definitely done different here and despite the fact that she would love nothing more than to take her bath on her own, she didn't want to offend anyone or start her new life with the wrong foot. She nodded and gave Davina a small smile. She seemed like a nice girl, perhaps they could even become friends.

"After you're finish, bring the princess to my chambers," Rebekah ordered Davina. She kissed Bonnie's cheek and left the room.

Bonnie was making her way to the bath chamber when she saw the two maids pulling the sheets off the bed. "What are you doing?" she asked. They didn't have new sheets to replace the old ones, why were their changing them?

"The sheets must be presented at court, princess," one of them explained to her.

"Why?"

The two maids exchanged strange looks.

"It's tradition, princess." It was Davina who answered her question.

"They are the proof of your virginity and that the marriage has been consummated," the other maid explained. She gave her a look as if to say, _shouldn't you know that?_ "They must be presented at court for all the nobles to see." With those words, the two women left her chambers, carrying the sheets with the single dried blood stain.

Bonnie felt mortified, heat rose to her face at the thought of the whole court looking at her bed sheets. Everyone was going to see them, everyone was going to assume she and Niklaus- she shuddered. It was a barbaric tradition in her opinion. _Why should people care if her marriage had been consummated or not?_ It was something personal, something between husband and wife not for the while world to be part of. They definitely didn't have those traditions in her homeland.

Bonnie didn't utter a single word as Davina helped her out of her robe and nightdress and into the tub. There was a melancholic look on her face as she sank in the warm water. Her first day as a married woman and she already felt homesick.

* * *

Saying goodbye to her sisters and grandmother was one of the hardest things Bonnie had ever done. She knew the moment was coming but it still hurt.

"Remember who you are," Emily whisper against her ear. "Remember where you come from and don't let anyone make you forget it either."

Bonnie suppressed a sob as she clung to her older sister with all her strength. Emily was the oldest, the one Bonnie looked up to the most.

"You remember the spell to contact us, don't you?" Lucy asked when it was her turn, a few tears spilled down her cheeks despite the fact that she was trying to be brave.

"Yes," Bonnie whimpered.

"I'm going to miss you."

"And I you."

Their hug felt too short, their goodbye too painful for her already bleeding heart.

Grams was the last one to say goodbye, holding Bonnie tightly in her arms, and kissing her forehead tenderly. "Blessed it be, child." She traced Bonnie's wet cheek with her fingers. "You are not alone," she whispered in the magic tongue. "We will be with you always," she promised.

Bonnie nodded.

It took every bit of self-control she possessed not to run and get on the ship with them. Oh, how Bonnie wanted to do just that and leave this strange land behind. But she didn't. She suppressed the desire to flee and stood still as a statue, watching her family depart. There were not enough tears inside her to express all her sorrow.

She was now truly alone. She couldn't remember a time when Emily and Lucy had not been a part of her life. They were her blood, her friends, the two people in the world who knew her the best, who love her the most, and now they were gone. Bonnie felt no shame in crying while the ship sailed away.

 _Will I ever see them again?_ she wondered as more tears spilled down her cheeks.

Long after the ship had disappeared from view, Bonnie stood by the shore, crying still.

As soon as her grandmother and sisters got on the ship, the king and queen who had come down to say their goodbyes left with their servants, not even glancing in her direction. Her husband was nowhere to be seen and neither were his brothers-except for Henrik- not that Bonnie particularly cared.

"Don't be sad," Rebekah placed a gentle arm around Bonnie's shaking shoulders. "I know Freya and I can't replace your sisters but I promise we will be here for you, always and forever."

"Thank-you," Bonnie sniffled and dried her tears with the handkerchief Davina offered her. Rebekah was very nice and kind and Bonnie found herself liking her already. She hoped to have a true friend in Rebekah, it would make things easier in her new home. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed a couple of stuffy old women giving her disapproving looks. They lingered a few feet away from her, watching her intently and murmuring among themselves, some even pointed to her dress and laughed.

"Crying in public," one of them muttered loud enough for Bonnie to hear.

"What can you expect from a child bride," the ginger haired woman next to her retorted.

"Did you see that atrocious dress she's wearing," another woman commented with disdain.

"If you can even call those rags a dress." The group burst into giggles and continued to ridicule her as they made their way back to the castle.

Bonnie looked down at the simple dark blue dress she was wearing, it was one of the few nicest gowns she possessed. She felt embarrassed and angry by the group's remarks.

"Don't listen to them," Freya smiled kindly at her. "Spinster sisters who have nothing better to do than to criticize others."

"Stinky old crones," Rebekah muttered angrily. "If father were here, they would have not dared utter such mean spirited words."

"Very stinky," Henrik agreed eagerly. He was standing next to his sister but leaned closer to Bonnie. "I don't think they have taken a bath in a century," he whispered mischievously.

Despite her tears, Bonnie's lips twitched and a small smile formed on her lips.

"Come," Rebekah linked their arms together. "I will show you around the castle and introduce you to the courtiers. You must get acquainted with everyone."

Casting one last look at the raging sea, Bonnie led her new sister drag her away from the shore. Today, was her first day as a married woman. Today, was the beginning of a new life for her and while another woman in her place would no doubt be filled with hopes and dreams of a sweet future with her husband, Bonnie felt heartbroken.

* * *

Bonnie was introduced to many people that day. There were many names with important titles and endless faces that greeted her but she could hardly remember any of them by the end of the day. The castle alone was bigger than her entire village. There were many corridors and endless rooms and people walking about all the time, mostly nobles who lived in the capitol and spent the better part of their days at court. It felt like she was introduced to every single person living in the castle and its surrounding villages. Everyone was curious about the new princess and wanted to make her acquaintance. While most nobles were polite and gracious towards her, Bonnie could feel their shrew gazes as they studied every single one of her movements and words. She could also feel their reservations, many would have preferred for Niklaus to have marry one of their daughters instead of a witch girl from some far away land. For a century, witches and werewolves had been enemies and the distrust the wolves felt towards her kind was something that would not change overnight, she knew that well.

Despite her nerves, Bonnie tried her best to smile and be courteous and charming. She wanted the wolves to have a good impression of her but it was not an easy task, Lucy had always been better at this sort of thing than her but she did her best. Rebekah was pretty charming and witty and helped her along when Bonnie found herself at lost.

Thankfully, the rest of the afternoon was spent with her new sisters at the Rose tower.

"And how are you enjoying your first day as a married woman?" Katherine asked her as soon as she saw her.

Bonnie didn't know how to respond. She nervously took a seat around the long table and grabbed a goblet filled with wine, in order not to answer.

Katherine's eyes glinted. "The morning after our wedding, Elijah and I did not leave our bed," she confessed dreamily. She was sitting close to the open window, her long chocolate hair blowing around her. She was glowing with her pregnancy. Her girls were whispering quietly to themselves in the corner of the room, playing with their dolls.

"You didn't leave your chambers for a week, If I recall correctly." Freya grabbed a couple of grapes from the table and leaned back against her seat. There was a teasing smile on her lips. "You scandalized the whole court with your behavior."

Rebekah giggled.

Katherine grinned. "It was a miracle that I was able to walk, if I'm being honest." She regarded Bonnie carefully. "You don't seem exhausted, did Niklaus not please you last night?"

Bonnie flushed at the question. "I…" _how exactly does one respond to that?_ She found her hands suddenly interesting.

"Don't tell us our brother did not fulfill his marital duties?" Freya leaned forward and gave Bonnie a curious look.

"He did," Rebekah was quick to respond. "I saw the sheets this morning. She has been properly bedded, I'm sure." Some of the servant girls in the room with them giggled upon hearing her words.

"I saw the sheets too, princess." One of Katherine's maids told her mistress.

"Well then," Katherine's lips curled. "Do tell us. Did you like it?"

Bonnie wanted to die from embarrassment.

"Katherine-" Freya gave her a warning look.

"Well go on," Katherine encouraged while ignoring Freya. "Give us a little something, we're among family. You're no longer a maid, there is no need to be so shy."

"I…" Bonnie looked up into her face, not knowing how to get out of this situation. Nothing had happened between her and Niklaus. Their marriage had not been consummated although because of the blood stain on the sheets everybody thought it had. _Should she tell them the truth? or make something up to get Katherine to stop asking so many questions?_

"Leave the poor girl alone," a commanding voice said from the doorway.

Bonnie let out a breath of relief and turned to see who her savior was. A tall, dark haired woman stood by the door, she was the queen's companion and trusted friend. Ayana was her name, Bonnie had met her the day before. There was an instant feeling of calm that invaded her as Ayana approached.

"Don't let them embarrassed you, my dear." She smiled kindly at Bonnie and took a seat next to her.

Bonnie offered her a grateful smile. Ayana radiated so much peace and warmth, it reminded her of her Grams.

Anaya's eyes twinkled as she looked around the table. "Have you shown the princess her new gown?" she questioned the others.

Bonnie looked confused. _What gown?_

Rebekah's eyes lit up with excitement. She clapped her hands and her maids scurried to the chamber next door, bringing with them a rich emerald colored gown with gold trim and bodice. They took it straight to Bonnie.

Bonnie gasped as she stared at the beautiful flowing gown. "For me?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"A gift from me," Ayana explained, her soft smile underlined the lines around her eyes and mouth. She was quite beautiful and soft spoken. "For the feast tonight."

"All eyes are going to be on you," Katherine said to her.

"As they should," Ayana agreed with her. "It is your night after all." Seeing the look of confusion on her face, Ayana explained to Bonnie that, "the feast is in your honor child, to present you formally as a member of the royal family."

"All royal weddings culminate with a ball," Freya explained as well.

"I…thank you." Bonnie's hands shook as she moved her fingers over the fine silk. The fabric was soft and the bodice delicate, she had never owned something so rich and beautiful.

"Niklaus won't be able to take his eyes off you," Rebekah proclaimed.

"Or his hands," Katherine added mischievously and winked at her.

They all laughed.

Bonnie felt her cheeks grow hot but she found her lips twitching. Katherine's comments embarrassed her to no end but Bonnie knew they were not ill intentioned. Katherine was simply free spirited and always voiced her opinions. There was something very wild and charming about Elijah's wife and Bonnie liked her, just like she liked Rebekah's enthusiasm, Freya's calm and reserved nature, and Ayana's warmth and kindness.

* * *

 **Later that night**

Bonnie sucked in a breath as Davina laced her dress. The bodice allowed for a small hint of cleavage to be shown and perfectly accentuated her small waist. Half of her hair had been pulled up in an intricate braid and adorned with small diamonds-a wedding gift from her grandmother while the earrings had been given to her by her sisters. As she stared at her reflection through the floor length mirror, Bonnie couldn't help but feel like an actual princess. The celebrations in her village had been much smaller, the dress code less fancy, and rarely had Bonnie seen anyone wear jewelry. Things in the wolf kingdom were different of course. The Mikaelson family lived in opulence which would be in full display during the ball. Bonnie had no doubt the court would proudly display their own wealth as well. She felt grateful for Ayana's beautiful gift, she would at least look like one of them.

"I'm nervous," she found herself confessing to Davina. The king and queen were going to be at the ball as would the entire court and Bonnie was afraid of making a mistake. _What is she said something wrong and ended up embarrassing her husband and his family?_ The king was an imposing and terrifying figure and Bonnie did not want to make him dislike her.

 _Those first few days will be a test,_ her grandmother had said during their voyage. _There will be many expectations and you must meet them perfectly. You must make a good and lasting impression on the king and his people,_ she had advised.

"There is no need to be nervous, princess." Davina smiled reassuringly. "Many girls would love to be in your place, to be married to a prince, and attend a ball like this one." She sighed dreamily. "It must be wonderful!"

 _Not really,_ Bonnie wanted to say but she smiled instead. It was a smile that did not reach her eyes though.

"You are going to be the most beautiful girl at the ball," Davina exclaimed.

 _I doubt it_ , Bonnie thought. She couldn't compare with Rebekah's golden beauty or Katherine's delicate features.

"Indeed, you will be."

Bonnie looked up startled at the sound of that accented voice; a slight shiver ran down her spine when she met her husband's eyes through the mirror. She could have sworn she saw a hint of gold in those bright blue eyes. _It must have been a trick of the light_ , she told herself.

Davina turned around and curtsied gracefully to the prince.

"Leave us," Niklaus ordered without taking his eyes off Bonnie.

Davina didn't need to be told twice, she ran out of the room quickly.

Bonnie felt butterflies in her stomach as he came to stand behind her. He was impeccably dressed in black and was wearing a matching black cloak, his long blond hair falling perfectly to his shoulders. He looked every inch the prince he was. The gold pin with a wolf sigil on his left shoulder shone brightly with the candlelight which also casted shadows over half of his handsome face. Niklaus had a powerful presence and she found herself short of breath.

"I have something for you," Niklaus said as he pulled a small bag from his cloak. "A wedding gift," he explained.

Bonnie gasped when he pulled the sparking gold necklace from the small pouch and placed it around her neck. She shivered, from the coldness of the precious stones adorning the necklace or from the hot breath of her husband against her neck, she wasn't entirely sure. "…It's…" she cleared her throat, the nervous flutter in her stomach intensifying. "It's stunning."

"As you are," he murmured against her skin. "It's a jewel befitting a princess."

His silky, smooth voice had Bonnie's heart jumping to her throat, she felt certain he could feel it thundering against his mouth. There was a part of her that wanted to move away, to stop this nervous feeling inside her but there was also another part that wanted to move her body closer, to melt against him. It unsettled her. The strange feelings he was provoking in her was something she had never experienced before and it was quite frightening.

Niklaus's hands moved gently over her shoulders before slowly moving down her trembling arms. His hot breath tickled her ear, and his nose bumped slightly against the flesh of her neck. She closed her eyes and attempted to find some composure.

Bonnie had not seen him since the night before. She certainly had not missed him throughout the day and yet, as he stood behind her, the warmth of his body against her, his hands on her arms, and his mouth so close to her throat, Bonnie felt a strange heat invading her. It was a fire that left a trail of desire in its wake. It was unexpected, a foreign feeling to her young mind and body but powerful nonetheless. She didn't love him but there was something about him, an alluring power that pulled at her.

That strange desire heating her blood was cooled quickly as her husband pulled away from her.

Bonnie opened her eyes at once and frowned. _Why did she suddenly feel cold?_ She stared at her flushed face before glancing over her shoulder at her husband. Niklaus had an unreadable expression on his face as he contemplated her. He moved his eyes over her face and bosom before looking up into her sparkling green eyes which matched the color of her dress.

"You are truly beautiful," he stated.

The heat on her cheeks and neck intensified once more. "Thank you, so are you." Her eyes went wide, a small gasp escaping her lips. "Not beautiful…not to say you are ugly," she quickly amended. "Handsome…I meant to say handsome," she winced at how foolish she sounded to her own ears. He probably thought she was a dim-witted girl.

Niklaus laughed, feeling amused by her embarrassment. "Why are you so nervous?" he asked with genuine curiosity. "Could it be that you are not so indifferent to my presence after all, wife?" he teased, his eyes glinting with a strange kind of emotion.

"I'm nervous about the ball," Bonnie retorted quickly. She would never dare to admit to his face just how nervous _he_ made her. She had some dignity after all. Not to mention, that she wasn't exactly sure what was it about him that had her feeling thus. She hardly knew him, she had hardly even spoken to him since their wedding. There was no reason for her to feel so nervous about this strange husband of hers. _Yes,_ she assured herself suddenly. _He makes me nervous because he's a stranger, that's all._ Once she got to know him better, the nervousness would go away.

Niklaus's eyes twinkled knowingly. "I'm sure," he murmured.

Bonnie had the feeling that he didn't believe her words but he made no further comments.

"Shall we?" Niklaus gallantly offered her his arm.

Bonnie took a deep breath and nodded, slowly linking her arm with his. _Please don't let me make a fool of myself_ , Bonnie prayed to the mother goddess, her heart pounding wildly against her chest.

Husband and wife quietly exited the chamber and made their way to the great hall, where the royal family and their guests awaited.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank-you so much for all your support. I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

* * *

The great hall was illuminated by hundreds of candles and filled with guests dressed to their best; colorful gowns, and impressive jewels were in full display. Everyone who was of importance in the kingdom had been invited to the ball; even the most serious and reluctant lords and ladies of the land had come to see their new princess and celebrate the royal marriage.

All eyes were upon them as they entered the great hall.

Bonnie felt nervous but she walked confidently in the arm of her handsome husband. Her green eyes were immediately drawn to the banners of house Mikaelson hanging above the golden throne chair where the king sat in all his mighty glory. The queen stood next to him, dressed in a rich burgundy dress; a large crown encrusted with sparkling diamonds sat atop her golden head. She looked regal. The two of them together were beautiful but intimidating as well.

They were the last ones to arrive and murmurs followed each of their steps. Bonnie ignored all of them, and focused on walking as gracefully as possible. The last thing she needed was to trip and make a fool of herself. Once they arrived in front of the reigning couple, Niklaus bowed his head in his father's direction, and Bonnie curtsied. She had practiced in front of the mirror, after Davina showed her how to do it properly. Bonnie had been reluctant to accept the young girl as her lady in waiting but she felt extremely grateful for her now.

The queen pressed her lips together and watched her with cold indifference, the king however, slid his gaze over her face, before slowly moving down her body-paying particular attention to her cleavage- his lips curved approvingly. "You are indeed a beauty," he murmured.

Niklaus had said something similar to her on their wedding night, but while her husband's words had created a strange heat over her body, the king's words sent a chill. Bonnie did not like the curve of his lips, or the glint she saw reflected in his calculating blue eyes. He looked a lot like Nik, but while her husband was intimidating and charmingly handsome, the king looked almost terrifying. She didn't know if it was her imagination but Bonnie felt Nik tense at her side. He didn't like the way his father had looked her over.

With a wave of his hand, the king dismissed the couple and Bonnie felt a wave of relief washing over her. The less time she had to spent in his presence the better. Soon, she and Niklaus found themselves surrounded by people, all wanting to introduce themselves and share a few words with the young married couple. The faces and the names of the people she was introduced to blurred together. She had met some of them before but she still couldn't remember all of their names. Bonnie shook the hands of so many people, her arm hurt, and she felt like her smile had been perpetually glued to her face. Thankfully, the people she was introduced to were polite and rather welcoming. It made things easier.

The king gave a short but boastful speech a little while later, and everyone toasted in their honor.

"To Prince Niklaus and his new bride," some shouted.

"To Nik and Bonnie," Rebekah proclaimed loudly.

"To the happy couple," Elijah and Katherine followed.

There were loud cheers and even a couple of whistles before they all moved towards the dance floor.

Bonnie felt nervous tremors rolling over body as Niklaus led her to the center of the room. The guests circled them as the music began playing. Since the ball was in their honor, they were going to open the floor with a dance first. _Please don't let me make a fool of myself,_ Bonnie pleaded with the mother goodness. Her breath hitched when Niklaus placed a hand on her lower back and brought their bodies closer together. "I do not know the steps," Bonnie whispered, her eyes filled with panic. She did not recognize the music echoing around the great hall. With the war, there had not been that many dances in her home, and the ones they did have, were different than this formal ball.

"Just follow my lead," Niklaus whispered against her ear, making her shiver. "I got you."

Bonnie nodded and took a deep breath, hoping to calm some of her nerves. She gasped as Niklaus pulled her even closer to his body, improperly close really. she didn't have time to think of anything else as the dance begun. He elegantly twirled her around the room, leading her gently, and making her giggle, her magnificent dress flowing with each step. Everything was a bit of a blur those first few moments as they lost themselves in their dance. Bonnie stared into his face, her body melting against his, her feet following his lead, and her heart soaring with incredible joy. Her breath caught in her throat each time he smiled down at her, or when he pulled her tighter against his chest, it was an incredible moment, filled with charged electricity. Bonnie didn't want it to end. Soon, they were joined by the king and queen, Finn and Sage, Elijah and Katherine, Kol and Rebekah, and Freya and Henrik.

"I shall have the next dance," Henrik told her as he and Freya passed them.

Bonnie barely even glanced in their direction, she was completely enthralled with her husband, and didn't even noticed when the first dance finished and another one begun. As the second waltz started, the courtiers joined the royal family on the dance floor. The entire great hall was filled with couples dancing, each moving in sync.

Bonnie's eyes shone with happiness and excitement. Every dip, every time their bodies brushed together, or he lifted her into the air, Bonnie felt the blood rush to her face, and her heart skip a beat. Once the music slowed down, she stared into his eyes and marveled at how handsome he was, and a wonderful dancer too. She lost herself in the thunderous blue eyes that sparkled like sapphires with the candlelight. She did not care who was watching, or that custom dictated that they switched partners, neither she or Niklaus were inclined to follow that silent rule, they were lost in each other, and nothing and no one could tear them apart.

After clearing his throat for a minute of two, Elijah gave up, and traded partners with Kol instead of Niklaus like it was custom. Katherine giggled as Kol kissed her hand before taking her in his arms. "Are you sure you should be dancing this much?" he asked glancing down at her belly.

"I'm with child, not an invalid. This belly is not going to stop me from enjoying myself," was Katherine's haughty response.

Kol laughed.

"They make a lovely couple, don't they?" Rebekah said to Elijah as a new waltz began. Her eyes were on her brother and his new wife- who couldn't stop staring and smiling at each other.

"That they do," Elijah agreed as he glanced at the couple. "Father made the right choice." For all his faults, it looked like their father had found the perfect companion for their brother.

Rebekah smiled approvingly.

A few feet away from them, Henrik complained to his older sister, "I want to dance with Bonnie."

"Then you should ask Niklaus for permission," Freya responded. Their brother did not seem like he was willing to switch partners any time soon.

Henrik made a face but he contemplated the couple happily. "Do you think they're in love?"

Freya was silent for a few minutes, her feet following the complicated steps of the new waltz, she had never been much of a dancer after all. "I think they are well on their way to being in love," she responded at last.

"Good," Henrik muttered. "He deserves to be happy."

"Indeed, he does."

* * *

Bonnie lost count of how many waltzes they danced. She was out of breath as they finally stepped away from the dance floor, her forehead was sweaty, and her throat felt really dry. She was tired but absolutely happy at how great everything had turned out so far.

"I don't think I've ever danced this much," she confessed while placing a hand over her thundering heart.

Niklaus chuckled. "They did not dance in your village?" he asked as he led her towards a corner of the room.

"There were few occasions for celebrations," Bonnie responded rather seriously.

He nodded. The war had devastated both of their home lands, although the wolves had always found occasions to celebrate. "We are at peace at last," he looked into her face. A peace that had been consolidated through their marriage, one that he hoped would last for centuries. "It's a new beginning for all of us," he murmured with a hopeful look.

"A new beginning," Bonnie whispered. "Yes, it is."

The two shared a smile.

"I shall get us something to drink," Niklaus kissed her hand and made his way towards the refreshment table. Bonnie eyes followed her husband's retreating figure and her brows furrowed in confusion when she saw him stopping in front of an elegant and young-looking couple. The dark-haired man looked almost angry and his smile was rather forced, the woman however, looked thrilled to be talking to Niklaus. Bonnie recalled being introduced to them earlier that night- when they first arrived, but she couldn't remember their names. She had been introduced to so many people, it was hard to keep up.

"Lord Tyler Lockwood and his wife, the lady Caroline."

Bonnie turned to find Sage standing next to her. Over her shoulder, she could see Finn talking quietly with his mother and father. The king looked bored with whatever his son was telling them.

"They make quite a lovely couple, don't they?"

Bonnie looked back into Sage's face before looking back at the couple and Niklaus. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the lady Caroline gently touching her husband's arm. It was a quick and friendly gesture and Bonnie didn't like it. There seemed to be a sense of familiarity between them and she found that disconcerting.

"She has no decorum," Sage muttered for she had seen the gesture too. "I pity her poor husband."

"Why?"

Sage turned to stare at Bonnie, her eyes opening wide in a rather dramatic fashion. "Don't you know?" she looked surprised but the words sounded false to Bonnie's ears. "Niklaus was quite taken with her."

Bonnie tensed, her eyes immediately drifting towards her husband who continued to talk with the enchanting blonde. She said something which caused him to laugh merrily. There was a strange feeling inside Bonnie as she continued staring at them, a rotten feeling that made her throat tight, and her heart constrict with a powerful unknown emotion. She couldn't help but wonder if Lord Tyler was feeling the same way for his face had turned rather sour. It probably matched her own.

"She's considered one of the most beautiful women in the kingdom," Sage continued, a strange glint in her eyes as she saw the discomfort reflected on Bonnie's face. "Niklaus was one of her most _ardent suitors_."

Each of Sage's words felt like a knife twisting painfully inside her, Bonnie pressed her lips together, her hands shaking slightly. _It doesn't matter_ , she tried telling herself. _It doesn't mean anything_.

"She's an enchanting creature." Sage smirked. "Every man falls under her spell."

Bonnie's eyes turned back to look at Sage and she noticed the satisfied grin on her face. She was enjoying herself. _Why are you tormenting me with this?_ Bonnie wanted to ask her, but her throat felt so tight no words could come out.

"He would have married her if given a choice," Sage continued maliciously.

"Finn also wanted to marry her at one point," Rebekah said as she joined them.

Bonnie felt relived to see a familiar and friendly face.

Sage's eyes narrowed into angry slits.

"Half of the men in this kingdom wanted to marry that tart," Katherine muttered as she joined them as well. "Even Elijah had a thing for her when they were younger," she told Bonnie with a roll of her eyes. "Men are simple creatures, all it takes is a pretty face to smile at them and the rest is history."

"None of them loved her like Niklaus," Sage muttered angrily.

Those words felt like another dagger to Bonnie's already tormented heart.

Katherine laughed at that. "Don't be ridiculous, he never loved her."

Sage opened her mouth with a retort but Katherine waved her off, linking her arm with Bonnie and dragging the young princess away from their sister in law. Rebekah followed them as well. "Don't listen to Sage," Katherine advised Bonnie.

"She loves to make everyone's life miserable," Rebekah was quick to add.

"She's jealous of you and wants to hurt you," Katherine whispered close to Bonnie's ear.

"Why would she be jealous of me?"

"Because you're younger, prettier, and your husband actually looks at you like he wants to bed you."

Bonnie turned red at that.

"Everyone knows Sage is a cold fish. Sometimes I almost pity Finn until I remember what a dreadful bore he is."

"Katherine!" Rebekah chided her good sister. "Finn is not so bad," she mumbled looking at Bonnie. "He's just-"

"A little weird," Katherine added with a sweet smile.

Rebekah glared at her.

"I'm just saying what everyone thinks," Katherine defended her comments.

"Is it true?" Bonnie asked her when they reached the opposite side of the ballroom. Her eyes quickly found her husband, he was still talking with the lord and lady Lockwood. Bonnie hated the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. _Wasn't he supposed to get me something to drink?_ He clearly forgot as he fell under that woman's spell.

"Nik was infatuated with her yes," Rebekah told her as she followed Bonnie's gaze. "It was a very long time ago, and nothing serious. He was never in love with her. Sage doesn't know what she's talking about. Besides, Caroline is not the kind of woman mother or father would want for their sons."

"Why do you say that?"

"Her reputation was tarnished long before her wedding to Lord Lockwood," Rebekah whispered close to Bonnie's ear. She looked over her shoulder to ensure no one was listening to their conversation.

"It's quite alright. You can speak freely," Bonnie said to her.

"Wolves can hear from far away Bonnie," Rebekah retorted.

"I placed a silencing spell around us, no one will listen to our conversation. I promise."

Katherine and Rebekah looked at her with astonishment.

"It's an easy spell," Bonnie said with a small smile.

"I like having a witchy sister in law," Katherine murmured while Rebekah nodded in agreement.

"Tell me," Bonnie urged both of them. She wanted to know everything about the woman flirting so openly with her husband.

"They say that she lost her virtue to a common wolf," Katherine said. "He worked taking care of her family's horses. Can you believe it?" she shook her head. "She's pretty I suppose, if you like those pale, boring, and overly common features."

Rebekah frowned.

"No offense to you, my dear sister." Katherine glanced at her. "But you can't deny Bonnie and I are exotic beauties." She leaned closer to Bonnie and beamed at Rebekah.

"How humble of you," Rebekah muttered.

Bonnie giggled.

"Anyway," Katherine continued as she glanced at the girl in question. "She's not the kind of woman a king would want for his son. Certainly not the woman Lord Tyler's father wanted for his own son."

"Why did he marry her then?" Bonnie asked curiously. _And why was Niklaus still talking to her?_

"She was with child," Rebekah responded simply. "It was quite the scandal as there were rumors that the child wasn't even his but that of the Lord Salvatore." Her eyes scanned the room for the familiar faces and she subtly pointed to the two handsome brothers surrounded by a group of young women. They all seen to be infatuated with the devilish handsome dark haired one with blue eyes. The other younger looking brother, seemed painfully uncomfortable and his chocolate eyes were really sad. _Had his heart been broken by the lady Caroline?_ Bonnie wondered. She followed his sad eyes and was stunned to find him staring right at Rebekah.

"Which Lord Salvatore?" Katherine asked suddenly. "The one with the sexy smirk is Damon," she told Bonnie. "He has ruined the reputations of many girls at court."

"He looks troublesome," Bonnie murmured.

"You don't know the half of it," Katherine retorted with a laugh. "The one who looks like he just sucked on a lemon is Stefan, his younger and much boring brother."

"They were both involved with her?" Bonnie questioned Katherine. She found it hard to believe that a woman with such reputation could be allowed at court.

"Or so the rumor goes." Katherine shrugged. "If you ask me, I doubt Stefan ever laid a hand on her, Damon on the other hand..." she trailed off.

"That's the thing isn't it?" Rebekah muttered absently. "No one knows for sure." Her eyes were on Stefan as she spoke. The two of them were having an intense moment across the dance floor. Their eyes were locked in a battle of wills and neither of them refused to back down.

Bonnie could feel the sparks of electricity bouncing off between them. But while Stefan looked longingly at Rebekah, she looked furious with him. She was clenching her ivory lace fan so hard with her fingers, her knuckles had turned white and her eyes were filled with resentment. _Had something happened between them?_ Bonnie wondered as she looked quizzically at Katherine.

 _Long story,_ Katherine mouthed.

Bonnie turned back to look at the two Salvatore brothers. As if sensing her gaze on him, the dark-haired one, Damon smirked in her direction and winked. Bonnie looked away quickly.

"Keep your eyes open with those two," Katherine advised her new sister. "They are our rivals after all."

"Rivals?" Bonnie questioned.

"For the throne," Rebekah responded, finally turning away from Lord Stefan and facing her once more. "The Salvatores, the Crescents, the Lockwoods even…" she uttered each of the names with disdain. "They are all waiting for father to die and have a chance to take the wolf throne for themselves." She glanced at her father who was now talking quietly with Elijah and a group of older gentlemen. "Poor father," she whispered. "Surrounded by vultures."

"Not when I bear my son," Katherine declared while placing a hand over her pregnant stomach. "The crown will stay with the Mikaelsons."

Rebekah smiled and also placed a gentle hand over Katherine's big belly. "I pray to the wolf gods every night for such blessing."

Bonnie looked down at the floor. _But it will be a girl,_ she bit her tongue. Because of her witch heritage, Bonnie knew Katherine was going to deliver another girl. Another daughter, another disappointment for the king no doubt. "Why does it have to be a son?" she found herself asking.

"It will secure our line," Rebekah responded like a dutiful school girl.

"Girls can rule too you know," Bonnie said with conviction. "We are as strong, intelligent, and as capable as any man, far more so in some cases." She thought of her Grams and all the other women that had come before her. "In our family women rule," she told them proudly. "Men are hardly of importance."

Rebekah gave her a sad look. "That's not the way things are here."

"Wolves are very different creatures Bonnie," Katherine told her. "Unfortunately, they are set in their ways and nothing will change that."

"Well someone should," Bonnie muttered under her breath.

"Perhaps if you become queen one day you can change the rules and give us girls a chance," Rebekah said to her. "Freya would love to tear throats out and claim the throne for herself." But women were forbidden from participating, only the Alpha males could fight for the throne after the death of the king.

"Me?" Bonnie gave her an incredulous look. Her sister Lucy had always wanted to be queen but not Bonnie.

"All eyes will be on you next," Katherine said with a pointed look towards Bonnie's flat stomach. "Everyone will be waiting for you and Niklaus to produce an heir."

"Let us hope you give us the exciting news soon," Rebekah added enthusiastically.

Bonnie smiled weakly, and felt uncomfortable. She shuddered to think what the king would do if he were to discover her marriage to Niklaus had not been consummated at all. Her eyes landed on her husband once more and Bonnie felt like someone had punch her in the stomach. An ugly sound must have escaped her for Rebekah and Katherine both turned to stare at her with concern.

"Are you alright?" Rebekah worriedly asked her.

Katherine on the other hand, followed Bonnie's gaze and growled. "That retched woman!" she hissed, her eyes flashing gold for a few seconds. "If I wasn't about to give birth, I would claw her eyes out!"

Niklaus was dancing with Lady Caroline. She was smiling from ear to ear and looked into his face with adoration and _he_ …much to Bonnie's heartache, Niklaus wasn't indifferent.

Rebekah was aghast as she saw them. "Bonnie-"

"I need air," Bonnie said with a surprisingly calm voice. The volcano of emotions erupting inside her nearly overwhelmed her. She practically ran out of the ballroom. She felt angry, she felt offended, she didn't know why it bothered her to see Niklaus dancing with Lady Caroline. It was just a dance, _one stupid dance,_ she told herself again and again as she rushed towards the gardens in a much-needed moment of solitude. Elijah had danced with other women that were not his wife and sisters, so had the king, but Sage's words haunted Bonnie.

 _Niklaus was one of her most ardent suitors.._.

 _None of them loved her like Niklaus..._

 _Does he really love her?_ Bonnie wondered as she walked down the steps and headed towards the fountain. A wave of sadness washed over her and a single treacherous tear rolled down her cheek.

 _Why did the thought of Niklaus caring for another made her so angry and so sad?_

* * *

Bonnie's moment of solitude did not last long. _He_ found her rather quickly.

"Are you alright?"

The sound of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. Bonnie stood still, hands at her sides, and eyes lost on the beautiful carved marble fountain depicting a pack of wolves. The fountain was surrounded by beautiful white and pink camellias. Bonnie felt a sense of peace standing there, looking at the flowers, and hearing the water cascading down. She refused to look at him, not because she was being petty, but because she was afraid she was going to lose her composure and break down crying like a stupid child. How quickly she had forgotten what to expect out of her marriage. A single act of kindness, a few dances, and she had stupidly allowed herself to think that maybe…

Bonnie shook her head and folded her hands in front of her.

Niklaus came to stand next her, watching her curiously. He placed his hands behind his back and looked down at the spectacular flowers surrounding the fountain. "They're my mother's favorite," he told his wife in a low murmur. "There must be one of every color around the castle." He crouched down and plucked a white blossom, holding it tenderly in his right hand. "Freya prefers roses but mother favors these." His thumb caressed the delicate layered petals. "What about you?" he asked her.

It took a long time for Bonnie to finally answer his question. "Magnolias." She still refused to look at him though. "There was a tree right outside my window," she confessed with a slight tremor to her voice. If she closed her eyes, she could recall the intoxicating fragrance invading her room through the open window every night. "I have not seen any around the castle," she added with disappointment.

"No, there aren't any."

Silence descended over them. For a long time they stood like that, side by side and in silence. Bonnie's eyes on the fountain, Nik's eyes on her.

"I did not mean to offend you."

The startling words made Bonnie gasp and turn to him with surprise written all over her face. "You didn't," she was quick to respond. _Had he known all along that was the reason she was so upset?_ He had simply asked a lady to dance, there was no sin in that. She suddenly felt ashamed that she had been so upset over something so silly. But the way the lady Caroline had stared at him, the way he had talked and laughed with her, there was something there, deep down she knew, and it angered her. She felt threaten by it. _I don't want any ghosts in our marriage,_ she wanted to tell him.

Niklaus contemplated the flower in his hand. "I offered to get you something to drink and I failed to deliver."

"Yes, you were quite distracted," she failed to contain the poison in her words.

Niklaus looked into her face, a strange twinkle in his eyes. "You did not wish me to dance with any woman but you. I did not know you would be such a possessive wife," he stated.

Bonnie felt the heat on her cheeks and neck. "I…"

"I rather like it."

Bonnie frowned and contemplated his face, trying to determine if he was jesting. He seemed really serious though. _He means it,_ she realized while feeling flutters invade her stomach. The intensity in which he was watching her sent a thrill down her spine.

"Lady Caroline is a dear friend, nothing more."

Bonnie couldn't mask the disdain she felt at his use of _dear_ , she hadn't really met the woman and she already disliked her. "Sage said you were her suitor," she didn't mean for the words to sound accusing but she couldn't help it. "You both seemed quite taken with each other as you danced."

"Is that so?" Niklaus raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching. "Does it bother you, wife?" he asked in a teasing voice.

"Please," Bonnie huffed. "Why would it bother me?" she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest like a petulant child and avoiding his eyes once more.

Niklaus chuckled at her response, a smug look on his handsome face. He was enjoying her jealousy that much seemed obvious to her.

"Would it have bothered you if I had danced like that with another?" Bonnie challenged suddenly. She had the pleasure of seeing the smug smile disappear from his face and be replaced by a dark cloud.

Niklaus's jaw clenched painfully and his eyes grew darker while low growl escaped his throat.

Bonnie felt satisfied by the response. "She's a very beautiful lady," she said after another moment in silence. As much as she hated to admit it, Lady Caroline was truly beautiful. She could see why he would be interested in her.

"Not as beautiful as you."

The air left her lungs at his words and she stared into his face, trying to find deceit. There was none. His eyes were watching her intensely and she was suddenly invaded by a wave of heat. She felt really nervous all of a sudden and her heart, her treacherous heart was galloping like a wild horse.

Niklaus took a couple of steps closer, his mesmerizing eyes contemplating her delicate heart shape face, and enjoying the electric shock that rolled over her body with his close proximity. "I know it's not your favorite." He gently placed the white camellia behind her left ear. "But I hope you accept it all the same." He was standing so close to her, they were practically breathing the same air. If he were to lean down just a little bit more, their lips would be touching.

"Do you like her?" Bonnie asked in a tiny voice. She hated the vulnerability she was showing but she was dying to know, to find out what truly laid in his heart.

"As a friend," he answered honestly. He raised his right hand and cupped her cheek tenderly. The gesture set her entire body on flames. "May I have the honor of the next dance?" He asked pulling his hand away from her heated face and offering it to her.

Bonnie felt a rush of disappointment, for a moment, she had been sure he was about to kiss her. _I want him to kiss me,_ she realized. She wanted to know what it would be like to feel those plum lips on her. It was an electrifying awareness, an epiphany. She wanted more than just a marriage of convenience, she wanted more than just respect and harmony. She wanted love, she wanted passion, she wanted all of it. For the first time since their marriage, she felt hope rising in her heart that she could find all of that with Nik. She looked at his hand first before staring into his eyes. "It will be my pleasure." She was thrilled to see the adorable dimpled smile on his face as she took his hand and allowed him to escort her back into the ballroom. _We can do it_ , Bonnie thought. _We can make this work_.

She held her head high as they entered the room once more and if she pressed her body closer than necessary as they danced, if she purposely moved her face closer to his, or held his eyes through it all, and possessively gripped his shoulder when he twirled her around the room, then it was simply because she could. He was her husband, not Caroline's, not another lady's, but hers. No matter what Sage said, or what had happened in the past with his _friend,_ Nik was hers and Bonnie was his. _I want this marriage to be real,_ Bonnie thought as they twirled happily around the room.

 **X**

 **X**

They went to bed really late that night.

No words were exchanged as they laid back to back, just like on their wedding night.

The next morning, Bonnie woke up alone once more.

But this time, there was a single beautiful magnolia on the pillow next to her. Its familiar scent mixed with her husband's, bringing a sense of comfort and familiarity. Her hand shook as she took the large white flower from the pillow and brought it to her lips, kissing it as she wished she could kiss Nik. There was a dreamy smile on her face as she contemplated the gorgeous gift he had left for her.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I hope you like this chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

Katherine went into labor one stormy night.

It was Rebekah who rushed into their chamber, a worried look on her face as she apologized for the intrusion.

"What in Fenrir's name…" Nik sat up startled and growled at his sister, his eyes turning a deep amber for the small moment it took him to recognize her in the darkness.

Rebekah ignored him and turned to Bonnie instead. "Katherine is in labor," she whispered on the verge of tears. "Something is wrong, you must come. Please." She didn't even wait to see if Bonnie would follow her, she ran out of the room as quick as her legs could carry her.

Bonnie got out of the bed. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and hastily threw a robe over her nightshift before running after Rebekah. She wasn't sure where Katherine's chambers where located but she didn't need to worry, Nik caught up to her, and grabbed her hand, gently guiding her through the endless torchlit corridors. Her heart pounded erratically but Niklaus's warm hand in hers offered her some comfort.

Servants carrying bowls of hot water and clean linens scurried in and out of the room. Kol and Elijah waited by the door that led to the inner chamber, both of them looked worried. Sage and Finn, stood against the opposite wall. Finn was drinking wine while Sage looked out of the open window, a few droplets of rain brought by the wind wet her pale face from time to time but she did not look away. Her eyes were completely lost in the storm raging the land.

Bonnie had barely glanced in their direction when she heard Katherine's agonizing cries through the door. Elijah heard them as well and winced, closing his eyes as if he were feeling her pain.

"She's been in labor for hours," Kol explained to them as Elijah couldn't seem to find the words.

 _He's afraid_ , Bonnie realized. They all were.

"I thought since you are a witch…" Rebekah bit her lip. "Can you do something? Anything…please…" she begged as she pushed the door open.

Bonnie nodded and followed her inside. She gave once last look at Nik-who offered her a reassuring smile- before the door was closed shut once more.

Katherine laid on the big canopy bed, sweating, panting, and hands clenched on the sheets. She was naked saved for a single white sheet thrown over the top part of her body. An elderly woman was urging her to push as she looked between her legs. The queen stood to the left, close to the window, an unreadable expression on her face, while Freya was by Katherine's side, holding her hand and offering her sweet words of comfort. No one seemed to notice Bonnie, who stood rooted by the door.

"Bonnie…" A spark of hope erupted in Katherine's frightened eyes as she finally took notice of her sister in law. She let go of Freya's hand and reached for Bonnie. "Bonnie…please…" she panted before letting out another cry as a new contraction hit her.

Bonnie walked towards her and took her hand. "Don't be afraid, Katherine. Everything will be fine." Despite the nerves and the fear invading her, Bonnie's voice was soft, and the look on her face was reassuring.

Katherine smiled weakly and squeezed her hand in response. She winced almost immediately and closed her eyes as another contraction hit her.

Bonnie let go of her hand and walked towards the midwife, feeling determined to help. "What can I do?"

"I don't see how you can help," the queen's icy voice sent a chill down Bonnie's spine. "The midwife is trained for this sort of thing." _You are not,_ was clearly implied.

"She's a witch, mother…" Rebekah tried to intervene but a single look from her mother was enough to silence her.

Bonnie looked at the ever regal and cold woman and was startled to see such a hostile look on her face. Queen Esther clearly didn't want Bonnie there. "Let the midwife handle this," she ordered as if Bonnie was one of the ladies who followed her orders left and right.

Bonnie hesitated. She didn't want to anger the queen but looking back at Katherine's pale and sweaty face, and seeing the agony she was in, Bonnie knew she couldn't leave. If the midwife knew what to do, she would have done something already. She clearly needed help, magical help like Rebekah had assumed. "I want to help." Bonnie's eyes shone with defiance as she looked back at the queen. "I used to help Grams and my sister Emily. I helped them bring life into the world many times before."

"What could you possibly do that the midwife can't?" Queen Esther challenged.

"I am a witch," Bonnie stated fiercely. "You have no idea what magic can do, what _I am capable_ of doing." A hissing noise followed her words, and the candles inside the room flickered for a few seconds as Bonnie's magic surfaced.

Esther's eyes narrowed while Freya looked at Bonnie with astonishment, her wolf senses easily picking up the energy engulfing the chamber. Rebekah looked nervously back and forth between both women, sensing the friction between them, and even the midwife glanced between the queen and the new princess, a curious look on her face as she regarded Bonnie with interest.

Katherine's groan shook everyone out of the tense silence they had been engulfed in.

"Everything will be okay, sister. I promise," Freya whispered reassuringly. "Fetch some water," she ordered one of the servant girls rooted by the door. The girl nodded and hurried towards the table on the other side, her hands trembling as she filled a cup with fresh water.

"What's the problem?" Bonnie turned to the midwife once more.

"The babe is not in the right position," the old woman responded, she sounded really tired. Katherine had been in labor for hours and as dawn approached it became apparent that the babe would not come out without help. "I will have to cut her open."

Rebekah gasped, a horrified look on her face.

"No!" Freya practically screamed. "Don't you dare, you could kill her."

"She's a wolf, she can heal," the queen countered right away as she approached the bed. "We must ensure the child's survival," she told the midwife. "You must save my grandson at all cost," she commanded without hesitation.

"Mother!" Rebekah's face was paler than usual and her hand shook as she placed it over her mouth.

"Katherine is a wolf, she can take it," Esther responded confidently.

Katherine continued to groan, moving her head from side to side, fingers digging painfully on the sheets. After long arduous hours in labor, she was exhausted and was slipping in and out of consciousness. She was hardly paying any attention to what they were saying. "Get it…out…" she mumbled incoherently. "…please…I…"

Bonnie chewed on her bottom lip, thinking about what her Grams and Emily would do in a situation like this. She recalled a similar situation regarding the butcher's wife, her baby had also not been in the right position for birthing. A look of realization crossed her features, she knew exactly what she needed to do.

"Pregnant werewolves don't have as rapid healing as a normal wolf would," Freya reminded her mother. "We can't take that risk. She could bleed to death."

"And if we don't do anything, mother and child could die," Esther retorted.

While mother and daughter went back and forth-Rebekah and the midwife looking from one to the other- Bonnie moved towards Katherine's left side, and got on her knees in the bed. She moved her hands over her pregnant belly and took a deep breath _. I can do this,_ she told herself. _I must do this._

"What in Fernri's name are you doing?" the queen shouted.

Bonnie ignored her. She could feel everyone's eyes on her but she didn't let that bother her, she needed to concentrate. She knew what she had to do, she had seen her Grams and Emily do it countless of times in their village. She placed both hands on Katherine's bulging stomach. "This is going to feel really warm," she warned her.

Katherine gave no sign that she had heard her, she simply moved her head from side to side, face twisted in pain while a litany of moans spilled from her dry lips. Freya had given her some water but it was more than evident that Katherine was barely holding on. They needed to act quickly.

Bonnie took another deep breath and closed her eyes, allowing her magic to surface gently.

"What are you doing?" the queen demanded to know once more.

"Let her work," Freya said and ignored Esther's icy glare.

Slowly, and with incredible tenderness Bonnie used her magic to guide the baby inside Katherine, to move her slowly into the right position. She focused all her energy, all her power, and attention to the task at hand, not caring who was watching her, or who was waiting outside the door. Bonnie surrendered completely to the magic flowing inside her, using it to penetrate Katherine's skin and slowly chance the baby's position.

It took time, energy, and it required exceptional control, as a slight misstep could cause harm to the child.

 _Feel the life pulsing inside the mother's womb,_ Emily had told her once. _Allow your magic to penetrate her skin, to engulf the child with your warmth and strength, and guide it into the right position. Magic is life Bonnie, remember that._

 _Come on little one_ , Bonnie urged the child in Katherine's womb to move while also nudging the little creature with her power. _That's it,_ a small smile graced her lips as she felt the baby begin to move. _Yes, that's it, just a bit more._ It was working and Bonnie couldn't be happier. "Just breathe, Katherine. Relax," Bonnie told her in a quiet voice as she continued to guide the baby girl into the right position. "We're almost there. Everything will be fine."

"You can do it, Katherine…" Freya encouraged her once more.

"Yes, love. You can do this," Rebekah joined her sister.

Meanwhile, the queen's eyes never left Bonnie.

* * *

"The healers said it will be a boy," Kol's voice broke the silence surrounding the small group gathered outside the door.

Niklaus looked up, and frowned. Elijah stopped his pacing and glanced at his brother, an unreadable expression on his face while Finn who sat opposite Nik arched and eyebrow.

"The Oracle said it will be a boy as well," Kol continued. "When the sun rises, we shall be celebrating the birth of a prince." Whether he said it to cheer up Elijah or simply because he felt the need to say something, one could never know for sure, the one thing that was clear however, was that his words stirred an uncomfortable tension among the group.

"They predicted the birth of a prince twice before," Finn's lips curved maliciously at the memory. "The odds seem to be in favor of another girl." He took a sip of his wine, his eyes glinted as they watched Elijah's reactions.

Kol glared at him. "You would love that wouldn't you?"

Finn continued to smirk.

"It does not matter," Elijah proclaimed with incredible honestly. "What matters is that my wife and child are well. That's all I care about."

"You would not be disappointed if your wife fails to give you a son yet again?" Finn questioned him curiously.

"Never," Elijah vowed.

"Spoken like a man in love," Sage murmured as she turned away from the window.

Her words sounded mocking to Niklaus's ears and when he compared them to Finn's evil grin, it made his skin boil with rage. "Better three daughters than none at all," he hissed. "I rather have a wife who fills my home with daughters than one whose womb is dead."

There was a sharp intake of breath from Sage, Kol shook his head, and even Elijah turned to stare at him with surprise. Finn growled, and his nails elongated at an alarming rate. He took a menacing step forward. He was a wolf ready to pounce.

Nik remained seated but his lips curved into a pleased smirk. He ignored his brothers and focused on Finn's beloved wife. He took a wicked pleasure in provoking his brother but his main target was Sage. He could easily read all the emotions flickering across her eyes. Sage was angry, she was hurt, and she deserved it.

"How dare you," Finn's eyes grew yellow and he growled at his younger brother.

"Finn," Elijah cautioned and got in between both brothers, afraid that a fight was about to ensue. This was not the time nor the place for such behavior.

"He insulted me!" Sage screeched. She was clearly waiting for her husband to come to her defense.

 _It's the least you deserve for the things you said to my wife,_ Nik thought as he watched her under unreadable eyes. Nik knew the things she had said to Bonnie, not because his wife had confided in him, no Bonnie had kept Sage's words to herself. It had been Rebekah who told Nik about it and now he was getting back at her for it.

"He stated his opinion, that's all," Kol came to his brother's defense, not that Nik needed it, but he felt compelled to show his support.

Elijah gave him a serious look over his shoulder, _you're not helping matters_ , it seemed to say.

"I will not have you insult my wife," Finn snarled as he took a menacing step closer.

Nik stood up and stared into his brother's eyes. _Come on then_ , his eyes challenged. He knew that despite Finn's bravado he was not going to attack. Finn was many things but he wasn't a fool, he knew he would never be able to take Nik on a fight. Their years training in the yard had shown that despite what their mother wanted, Finn was no warrior. He was decent enough but he was no Alpha. "Sit down, Finn." Nik's voice was cold, commanding, and his eyes were two angry pools of ice which remained blue. Nik did not need to use his werewolf abilities, he did not need to stir the beast inside him to intimidate others, such theatrics were left to lesser and weaker wolves, like his brother.

Despite his clear anger, Finn did not take a step forward. He did not move at all.

Kol looked back and forth between both brothers, while Elijah remained standing in the middle, consciously aware of the two wolves throwing daggers at each other. Sage watched them as well, a disappointed look crossing her features when she realized Finn was not going to do anything to defend her.

Nik chuckled, a loud mocking sound that had the hairs on the back of everyone's neck standing. "What's the matter big brother?" he taunted while ignoring the warning looks Elijah sent him.

"That is enough," Elijah hissed. "I won't have the two of you fighting-"

"Finn is anything but a fighter," Nik cut him off. He was provoking Finn and everyone knew it.

Finn growled but he still did not make a move.

Nik laughed. It was obvious his brother was afraid of him. _As it should be_ , he thought. _There is only one Alpha in this family._

There were a couple of moments filled with a rigid silence, as no one knew what would happen next. The tension was suddenly cut by a piercing cry that echoed through the closed door.

"Katherine," Elijah murmured worriedly, turning towards the door, and heading inside.

A newborn's cry was heard shortly after, cutting through the anger and tension in the air.

* * *

Katherine took big gulps of air as she let herself drop against the pillows. She was exhausted, physically and mentally but to her immense relief, the pain had stopped at last. _Breathe,_ she told herself, _just breathe_. Slowly she became aware of what was going around her. She felt a tingling warmth over her belly. It felt like she was burning with a high fever. As she fully came into herself, she saw Bonnie leaning over her, hands on her belly. _Is that why it's hot?_ Katherine wondered. She gasped when she heard the cries a few feet away from her. "Is that…" she watched as the midwife handed the baby to Freya who had a blanket ready. "Is it…" Katherine's throat felt sore and she couldn't find the words to ask the question burning inside her mind. _Please tell me it's a boy,_ she thought.

Bonnie was smiling at her, a proud grin on her face.

"Bonnie…" Katherine groaned. _Tell me that I have a son, tell me that I have given my husband an heir._ She hoped her eyes would reveal her thoughts to Bonnie who looked rather tired but pleased with herself.

"All is well," Bonnie told her gently as she got down from the bed.

"What…" Katherine swallowed the lump in her throat. Her throat was raw from all the screaming and she felt disoriented still.

"You have a beautiful baby daughter," Rebekah said to her while tears streamed down her face.

Katherine felt like the most horrible woman in the world at the disappointment she felt upon hearing Rebekah's words. _Another girl,_ tears welled up in her eyes. _I failed yet again._ She could almost hear her father's outcry all the way from his castle.

Freya approached her and gently deposited the tiny little girl in her arms. Despite her tears, Katherine found herself smiling. She was beautiful. Another sister for Ilia and Miraa, another precious little girl. She was still contemplating her daughter when the doors opened and Elijah strolled inside followed closely by his brothers, Kol and Niklaus. Finn and Sage remained outside.

"My darling," Elijah whispered as he sat on the bed next to her.

"It's a girl," Katherine told him in a whisper. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," Elijah kissed her forehead before looking down at his daughter with pure adoration. He touched her forehead gently with his fingertips and kissed her head. "She's perfect," he murmured before kissing Katherine on the lips.

Bonnie contemplated them with a beaming smile. She hardly noticed when Nik came to stand beside her, her eyes were on the happy couple and their child.

The happy atmosphere changed drastically when the doors opened yet again, and the king stepped inside.

A chill descended over the room and everyone seemed frozen in place. Freya shared a nervous look with Rebekah and even the queen's face was tense as her husband approached the bed.

Bonnie was startled when Nik grabbed her hand in his, giving her fingers a light squeeze. She felt a wave of fear invade her, sensing the displeasure the king would feel.

"Well?" Mikael asked to the tongue-tied group.

The midwife turned to Esther who in turn glanced at Freya. No one wanted to be the one to communicate the disappointed news to the king.

"It's a girl," Elijah stated calmly.

Everyone waited with bated breath.

There was a sharp intake of breath somewhere behind Bonnie, from Katherine or Rebekah she wasn't sure. She stood still, not knowing what to say or do. She watched the king warily, waiting for his reaction and dreading it as well.

The king stood still, his face impassive, but his eyes...there was a flash of gold in his eyes as the news sunk in. The temperature dropped inside the room and a cold sensation invaded everyone as a low growl escaped the king's throat. His hands clenched at his sides as his eyes grew a darker shade of yellow.

Elijah stood up at once and took a protective stance by his wife and daughter. Niklaus did the same with Bonnie, shielding her with his body, while Freya approached her father, a determined look on her face. They all felt defensive.

The queen approached the king and tried to touch his shoulder, but he pulled away harshly, leaving her pale hand hanging in midair.

Bonnie gasped, feeling a nervous flutter in her stomach. The look on the king's eyes could only be described as pure fury. She felt a terrible cold move down her body, squeezing her throat, and chewing her bones off. Only the feel of her husband's hand in hers, the soft, reassuring touch was enough to stop the rapid spread of ice over her body. Nik held her hand tenderly and offered her his support and protection while his eyes were completely focused on his father.

"A girl," the king hissed as he stared at his son before moving his angry gaze over Katherine whose arms tightened around her little girl. The king turned around and left the room angrily, his guards who had waited by the door, following closely behind. The queen went after him, not even bothering to look at her new grandchild.

Bonnie felt relief wash over her at their departure and so did everyone else. The fury in the king's eyes had scared her. For a moment, she had been afraid he had meant to harm the baby. She shook the thought away.

"Thank-you for helping me, Bonnie." Katherine said and smiled at her. It was a sad smile though as Katherine was still shaken by what had just transpired.

"Yes, thank you." Elijah nodded in her direction before settling on the bed once more.

Bonnie nodded and smiled at both of them.

"We'll let you rest," Kol said as he cleared his throat and let his body relax. Even he was shaken still.

Both parents were completely besotted with their baby, hardly paying any attention to the rest of the people in the room.

Freya and Rebekah helped the servants clean up before quietly leaving the couple alone, Kol following them out.

Bonnie contemplated the family for a few minutes before also leaving the room. She caught Niklaus handing a couple of gold coins to the midwife and ordering a guard to escort her back to her home. Neither of them said anything as they walked back towards their chamber. Bonnie was still shaken, the king's furious eyes still haunted her.

* * *

Long after they retired to their chambers, Bonnie couldn't shake away the fear the king's angry gaze had instilled in her.

"Are you alright?" Niklaus asked as he studied her troubled face.

"The King," Bonnie whispered as she sat on their bed. "He looked so angry, for a moment I feared he might try to…" she couldn't even finish the sentence, so horrible was the thought.

"The healers told him it would be a boy as did every Oracle in the kingdom." Nik moved closer to the fire, and placed his hands behind his back as he studied the flames. "I pity them, no doubt father is unleashing his wrath on them at this very moment…" _Better them than Katherine or her girls,_ was left unsaid.

Bonnie shivered at his words. She could only imagine the cruelty the king could subject them to.

"Don't worry," Niklaus said as he turned back to look at her face.

"He's obsessed with having a grandson!"

"He's determined to secure his dynasty," Niklaus countered easily.

"He has five sons," Bonnie snapped. "Shouldn't that be enough?" She felt angry on the behalf of Katherine's girls.

Niklaus frowned. "Father is not just thinking about the next ten or twenty years, Bonnie. Father wants to secure the Mikaelson dynasty for another fifty or a hundred years, more than that even." He paused and studied her face carefully. "Ensuring his dynasty prevails is of extreme importance to him, to everyone in our family really."

"I don't understand it," Bonnie muttered.

"Of course, you don't…" Nik murmured as he came to sit beside her on the bed. She wasn't a werewolf, she didn't know their history. "The werewolf kingdom was ruled by a powerful family who united all the clans under a single rule," he began. "It was a dynasty that lasted nearly two hundred years. The last king, the one before father, had three children, a son and two daughters. His eldest daughter chose the virgin robes, dedicating her life to the wolf gods, the son was supposed to succeed the father as king but you know our laws are different, don't you?"

Bonnie nodded. "Werewolves don't choose their leaders based on who is born first," she recalled what Grams told her on her wedding day. "When an Alpha dies, his children-"

"His sons," Nik corrected. "Female wolves can't participate."

Bonnie's face twisted angrily. She didn't like that females were excluded. "His sons and every other eligible wolf in the kingdom can fight to obtain the crown," she finished.

"The Alpha wolves," Niklaus explained. "Traditionally, there is one Alpha wolf in every clan."

"And they all fight to win the crown?"

"Yes." Nik took her hand in his, studying her delicate fingers. _She has beautiful hands,_ he thought absently. "Last time, the young prince was one of the first to die."

Bonnie's eyes went wide at the revelation. "It's a fight to the death?" Grams had never made any mention of that.

"Of course," Nik looked into her wide and fearful eyes. "It's a blood bath," he continued calmly. "A night where only one wolf, one Alpha, the true king is left standing."

Bonnie shuddered. "That's…that…" she stuttered.

"Barbaric," Nik supplied for her.

Bonnie looked down at their joined hands. _Wolves are vicious creatures,_ hadn't she heard that throughout her whole life?

"The prince and the Alphas of the other clans were defeated by a lone wolf," Niklaus continued telling her. "A man without a noble lineage or important name, he had no fortune either, just a sheer will and brutal strength. He defeated all the others and won the crown establishing a new dynasty."

Bonnie's eyes went wide as she realized something. "Your father," she whispered.

"My father," Niklaus confirmed."My mother was the king's youngest daughter, father married her to strengthened his claim." A dark look crossed his features as he thought of their enemies. "Most of the ancient noble families like the Crescents, the Salvatores, the Lockwoods, Gilberts, and Forbes are waiting for father to die so they can have a chance to take the crown. To most of them we are nothing more than usurpers, barbaric peasants who won the crown by sheer luck." He didn't bother to mask the bitterness he felt. "They look down on us. They don't say it out loud of course, they have no choice but to follow father for he proved himself as the true Alpha and king but once he dies, all bets are off."

Rebekah had said something similar to her the night of the ball, _they are all waiting for father to die and have a chance to take the wolf throne for themselves…_ Fear began coiling inside Bonnie's belly.

"Mother's clan ruled for over a century," Niklaus told her. "Because of our rules and the way kings are elected, few families manage to secure the throne past three generations."

Bonnie felt a lump form in her throat.

"That is why father is so obsessed with a male heir. He wants to ensure that when he dies, he has enough sons, and grandsons to secure the throne for our family. The more male heirs he has, the higher the chance of having Alpha wolves in our clan, and securing our family's reign for the next century to come."

"Are you…" Bonnie cleared her throat. "Are you going to have to fight your brothers?" she asked fearfully. "When your father dies…" she paused, the anxiousness she felt at the prospect nearly taking the air from her lungs. "Will you have to fight Elijah, and Kol, and Finn, and Henrik…" she was terrified that Nik was going to have to kill them to win the throne.

"I won't have to kill any of my brothers if that is what you are asking me." Nik squeezed her hand reassuringly. He sounded and looked confident as he said it. "Remember what I told you, that traditionally there is one Alpha wolf in every clan?"

Bonnie nodded.

"In large families, there might be two, even three although that is extremely rare." He gave her a reassuring look. "Only the Alpha in our family will have to fight for the crown."

"Who is the Alpha wolf in your family?" Bonnie dared to ask.

"We don't know yet," Nik replied in a serious voice. "Strength, agility, leadership, there are many different qualities that make an Alpha." He paused gathering his thoughts. "It is said however, that a wolf that cannot produce a son it's not a true Alpha."

Lucy had said the exact same thing to her on the day of her wedding. _Finn and Sage have been married for years and they don't have any children, Elijah and Katherine only have daughters, then that means…_ Bonnie's heart nearly burst from her chest. Katherine had warned her that all eyes were going to be on her next. There was a frightened look on her face as she stared at her husband. "If none of the king's son can produce a son…" Bonnie trailed off.

"Then none of us are meant to be king after him."

Bonnie's jaw clenched and her nails sunk into his flesh without meaning too.

"You're angry," Nik noted.

Bonnie pulled away from his hand, watching as the small red incisions she made with her nails disappeared. She gasped in surprise.

"Werewolves have incredible healing abilities, sweetheart." He gave her a dimpled smile.

 _Yes,_ Bonnie had heard the queen say so. She felt a pang, there was so much she had to learn about the werewolves, about her new family, and the politics that surrounded their every day life.

"Why are you angry?" Nik asked gently.

"I don't think it's fair," Bonnie responded. "Girls should be valued as boys are, my people…" her voice shook slightly as she thought of her family. _How I miss them,_ Bonnie thought sadly. "Where I come from, women rule."

"Wolves see things differently, Bonnie."

Bonnie stood up abruptly and walked towards the window. It was raining still, not as hard as before but the rain still fell and drenched the land. "They will expect you to have a son," she murmured, her eyes lost in the darkness outside. She could see a small hint of orange on the horizon. The sun was rising at last. "They will expect me to…" she trailed off. _If I fail to give you a son,_ w _ill you love me as Elijah clearly loves and treasures Katherine or will you look at me and our daughters with hatred as the king did towards that innocent baby girl?_ A blush began to spread over her cheeks at the thought of having children with him. They had not been married for long, they were still getting to know each other, and now they would have the pressure of producing a son for his family to continue to rule. Bonnie wanted to ask him, she wanted to share her fears and anxieties with him but she couldn't find the words, she wasn't brave enough to voice her conflicting thoughts. She felt angry, and confused, and above all, afraid.

"I know this all may seem strange and even frightening to you but don't worry," Niklaus's tender voice reached her ears. He came to stand beside her, close enough for her to feel the warmth of his body but not enough to touch her in any way. "Father is not dying any time soon," he assured her. "The future of our family will be secured by then," he said with confidence. "We have plenty of time."

Bonnie nodded but she did not look at him. She kept staring out of the window, lost in thought.

"Don't worry, sweetheart."

Niklaus seemed to be under the impression that they would have plenty of time to make their marriage real, to have sons and secure his family's legacy, but something inside Bonnie, _a witch feeling,_ told her that they wouldn't have as much time as he supposed. The fear inside her intensified tenfold. Now, more than ever, the future was uncertain.


	5. Chapter 5

While her husband succumbed to a deep slumber, Bonnie paced around their chamber, an anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach. She contemplated him for a bit before making her mind and kneeling in front of the fireplace. She needed to talk to her sisters, she needed to confide in them.

Taking a deep breath, Bonnie stared at the dancing flames and allowed her magic to surface. "Blood of my blood, I seek thee in this burning fire. I need thee, please come to me," she chanted as she extended her hand and waved it over the flames. They parted like the sea and a familiar face appeared in the fireplace. Bonnie's entire face lit up and a huge smile formed on her lips. The spell created a portal through time and space and allowed them to come face to face. "Blessed it be, sister."

"Blessed it be," Emily replied with a happy grin. "Lucy is with Grams, the milkman's wife is in labor and is not going well, they went to help her."

Bonnie nodded in understanding. She would have loved to speak to both but at least she would be able to confide in her older and much wiser sister. "I helped Katherine with her labor too. She had a beautiful little girl."

"Why are you angry?" Emily asked upon studying her sister's face.

"Everyone wanted a son," Bonnie replied with an edge to her voice. "If I were back home, there would have been a feast in her honor but everyone is disappointed, except her parents of course."

"But you are not home any longer," Emily said gently. "You are with the wolves now and you must learn to accept their ways."

"Even when their ways are unjust, cruel, and wrong?"

"You must keep those thoughts to yourself," Emily warned her. "I doubt the king and his nobles will appreciate you speaking in such manner."

"How can you expect me to keep silent at this injustice?"

"I expect you to be wise," Emily snapped back. "Things cannot be changed overnight and you are in no position to make those changes either."

Bonnie frowned at that.

"I understand your anger, little sister. But you must be smart about this. Watch, learn, and above all hold your tongue for it could get you in trouble."

"You do not think I should speak my mind."

"Only to those you fully trust."

The look her sister was giving her, made Bonnie apprehensive. "You think I am in danger," Bonnie whispered.

Emily seemed conflicted but she made up her mind quickly. "We were at war with the wolves for a century Bonnie, I am sure there are plenty of them who would love to make your life miserable. Be careful what you say, what you do, and above all, do not place your trust blindly. I do not wish to scare you, but you need to watch your back, please be careful."

Bonnie took her warnings to heart. "There is a feeling inside me that tells me a storm is coming and that I will be right in the middle of it," she confessed.

Emily offered her a sympathetic look. "Whatever happens, we will be with you," she promised. "Remember who you are Bonnie, where you come from, and the power that flows through your veins. Your magic will help you, it will guide you, and protect you always, and so will I, and Lucy, and Grams. You are not alone."

Bonnie nodded. "I miss you. I missed all of you, so much." Her voice shook and she struggled to contain her tears.

"And I you," Emily said sadly. She turned her face and frowned. "My husband is coming," she whispered hating that they had to cut their conversation short. "We shall speak again."

Bonnie nodded and smiled one last time before Emily's face disappeared and the flames returned to normal.

She sat on the floor for a long time, contemplating the fire, and hearing her husband's light snoring behind her. Talking to her sister had helped tame some of the uncertainty she felt, but on the edge of her consciousness there was still that _bad feeling_ floating about. She had to do something.

Bonnie stared at her left palm and used her power to cut her skin open, a single trail of red emerged from the wound. Bonnie concentrated and watched as the red line rose into the air, floating above her palm. She murmured the incantation Grams had taught her a very long time ago, and watched as the red line of her blood split in two. The tendrils twisted together in midair to form a red thread which curled itself around her wrist, forming a delicate bracelet. There was a spark of red light that made Bonnie's body shiver as she felt the strong magic washing over her. The red cord bracelet was a charm of protection against those with ill intentions. She did not have all her tools and herbs or even the vast collection of spell books and ancient rolls of parchment with her ancestors' secrets but Bonnie did not need them.

 _There is power in our blood,_ Grams had told her since she was a child. _Never forget that, child. A witch does not need spells books or herbs, or potions and hexes to protect herself. All you need is your mind, your heart, your will, and your blood. We can do anything we set our minds to, Bonnie. Our magic is the manifestation of our will._

Bonnie continued to stare at the flames, absently tracing her new bracelet with her fingers. No matter what storm was coming her way, she would be ready to protect herself.

* * *

 **The next day**

Bonnie and Rebekah clapped and cheered as they watched Niklaus and Henrik practice in the yard. It was cold and few drops of rain fell from the sky from time to time but they refused to move inside, no matter how much their ladies in waiting wanted to seek the warmth and comfort of the castle. Bonnie felt warm enough with her heavy green cloak around her shoulders, although the tip of her nose felt like ice and her cheeks hurt from the occasional wind. "You can go inside if you are too cold," she told Davina.

The young girl with shattering teeth shook her head, determined to stay with her as was her duty.

Bonnie's dark hair flew with the wind when the hood of her cape fell off and she squinted her eyes at the bitter cold that assaulted them next.

"Princess, you could fall ill. We should go inside," Rebekah's lady urged her mistress.

Rebekah ignored her in favor of cheering for her brothers.

Bonnie murmured a spell and the wind came to a halt while a soft warmth began to spread over her and Rebekah and their two ladies. She looked up into the dark sky wondering how much she would have to concentrate to make the clouds disappear and call back the sun. She knew she could do it, she had mastered the elements at the tender age of three and ten, but something held her back. _You shouldn't display your powers with so many onlookers,_ a voice that sounded suspiciously like Grams warned her. Bonnie glanced around the yard, there were many ladies of the court watching not just Niklaus and Henrik but the other men that were training as well. Soldiers and noble men alike practiced their sword fighting despite the tumultuous weather.

Rebekah gave her a curious look upon noticing the change around them, but her attention was soon drawn to her brothers once more.

Bonnie's green eyes followed her husband's movements with awe. She was fascinated by the way he moved and how he easily he held the steel sword in his hands. It was like a dance, Bonnie thought as she watched him and Henrik trade blows. Her people were trained in the magical arts, men and women alike had no need for swords when they had spells and hexes that could eradicate an entire army. She had never seen soldiers train, she had never thought wolves fought with weapons either. This was all a fascinating discovery for her. From what little she had gather in the time she and Rebekah had been watching Niklaus, he was a very skilled warrior. Many of the boys and young men training nearby had stopped to watch him. Bonnie even glared at the giggling group of ladies waving at him and blowing their handkerchiefs in his direction.

Her eyes moved slowly over his legs and up his strong and pale arms, before settling over his handsome and proud face. His eyes shone every time Henrik held his own against him, and his lips curled into a proud grin every time his younger brother surprised him with a particular move. They both had similar fighting styles which was unsurprising as she had learned that Niklaus had been training Henrik since he was old enough to hold a sword.

"The young prince has a natural talent," she heard a boy say to his father.

"Prince Niklaus was better at that age," the elderly man with white hair murmured.

Bonnie couldn't stop the proud grin on her face, it only widened when she saw the tender way Niklaus ruffled Henrik's curls. He loved his brother dearly.

"I'm going to win this time."

Nik laughed. "You can try," he replied with a smirk and easily blocked Henrik's attack.

"Henrik will hold his own at the tourney," Rebekah commented with a proud grin adorning her lips. "And I have no doubt Niklaus will win."

The King's nameday was fast approaching and he had decided to celebrate half a century of life by hosting a tournament. It was going to be a magnificent celebration and the excitement had helped to appease the disappointment most of the land felt over the birth of Elijah's third daughter. Bonnie had to bite her tongue and held back her opinions when she had heard a group of ladies talking about Katherine's _failure._ It angered her how a beautiful and delicate baby girl could be considered a failure. She had a couple of nasty things to say to them but Emily's advise was present in her mind so she held back her retorts and walked away without a single word. "Are tourneys a common thing in the kingdom?" she asked while keeping her eyes on her husband.

"It's been a few winters since we had a tourney in the kingdom," Rebekah responded. "Nik didn't participate last time, he and Elijah were on a mission," she explained.

A group of men approached the training yard had the smile dropping from Rebekah's lips. Bonnie followed her gaze and found herself staring at the Salvatore brothers and their men. They had come to practice as well. Many noble lords came and went around the castle grounds, particularly now that a tourney had been announced by the king. Werewolves were competitive by nature and no one wanted to miss the opportunity to display their skills.

Bonnie felt Rebekah tense by her side as the brothers got closer to them.

Stefan Salvatore stared at the beautiful princess with a mixture of sadness, regret, and longing. Rebekah on the other hand, looked angry.

"We should go inside," Rebekah mumbled, pulling her velvet cloak tighter around her neck.

Bonnie's lips itched to ask. Something had clearly happened between Rebekah and the Lord Salvatore and she felt curious to know more.

"Surely, you will not deny me the pleasure of speaking with the new princess?" an arrogant voice carried with the wind. It was Damon Salvatore. He walked towards them with the confidence of a king, a sinful smirk on his lips as he looked at Bonnie.

Rebekah glared at him while Bonnie was startled by how bright and blue Damon's eyes were; there was something very alluring about the tall and handsome man. She could see why all the women around the yard had stopped and stared at him upon his arrival.

"We did not have the chance to speak properly during the ball," Damon said to Bonnie. "It is a pleasure to meet you," he took her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles, his blue eyes pinning her with unashamed interest. He was drinking her in like a man starved.

Bonnie felt her left wrist burn and she pulled her hand away quickly, shocked by the powerful sensation. It was a warning.

Damon frowned, his eyes narrowing in anger at the rude gesture. No woman had ever recoiled from his touch. It was alarming how quickly his smile could change from a charming smirk to a cold and calculating grin.

 _He is dangerous,_ Bonnie noted.

Rebekah smirked, clearly pleased by Bonnie's reaction. "Preparing to lose another tourney, Damon?" the mocking tone in her voice did not go unnoticed.

Damon looked away from Bonnie who was rubbing her wrist and focused on Rebekah instead. "That treacherous Mason Lockwood should be banned from every tourney in the land," he hissed.

Rebekah chuckled. "He is the reigning champion and I'm sure he will defend his crown valiantly."

"Since when do you admire a Lockwood?" Damon asked her.

"I do not, but if I have to choose between a Lockwood and a Salvatore, I will definitely back a Lockwood," Rebekah retorted.

"You wouldn't even back your own family against us," Damon muttered with a laugh. "That's because you know no Mikaelson would stand a chance against us."

There was something in the way he said it, almost as if he wasn't just talking about the tourney but something else as well, it had a sudden tension descending over everyone. Damon was challenging not just Rebekah but the entire Mikaelson clan with those words.

Rebekah's jaw clenched and her eyes grew a darker shade of green. "Be careful Damon, father has cut people's tongue for far less."

Damon smirked. "We are a superior bloodline, princess."

There were loud gasps and murmurs from the crowd of onlookers.

Rebekah's face went pale and she snarled, her eyes flashing gold, and her nails elongating rapidly.

"Damon always lets his tongue get the best of him," Niklaus's voice had Bonnie's heart jumping to her throat. She had not even realized he was standing behind her until he spoke. Herink had come with him as well. "Luckily, everyone knows not to take him seriously. He's all bark and no bite," he taunted.

The smirk fell from Damon's lips. He contemplated Bonnie's husband with hatred. If there had been tension surrounding them before, it had now escalated to a boiling point.

Bonnie felt her skin prickle and she looked nervously between Nik and Damon.

"The fact that you will be participating in the tourney will make my victory all the more sweeter," Damon's arrogant voice had Rebekah scowling and Bonnie glaring at him.

"You wish," Rebekah mumbled.

Niklaus smirked. "I have been humiliating you since we were children," he viciously retorted. "And believe me, that will not change."

"We will see about that," Damon gave them a mocking bow before focusing his glinting eyes on Bonnie once more. "When I win, I shall take a kiss from your sweet lips," he promised before walking away.

Bonnie gasped at his boldness.

"Bastard," Henrik muttered while throwing daggers at Damon's back.

Niklaus growled and took a menacing step closer but Rebekah placed a hand on his arm and stopped him. "He's only saying that to provoke you." As much as she wanted her brother to put the arrogant Salvatore in his place, she knew better than to allow Nik to attack.

"I will rip his head off," Niklaus vowed, sending a murderous glare in Damon's direction.

Bonnie felt a shudder descend over her body, the seriousness in which Niklaus had proclaimed those words were frightening and yet, there was also a part of her that felt a sinful thrill down her spine. The thought of Nik ripping someone's head off because they had promised to kiss her had her belly coiling with excitement. She could not wait for Nik to win and kiss her. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. _Will he want to kiss me, if he wins?_ she could not help but hope that he would.

* * *

"Have you and Lord Damon always been at odds with each other?" Bonnie questioned her husband as the two made their way inside the castle sometime later. Rebekah and Henrik were walking ahead of them talking amicably about the upcoming tourney. They were all going to see Katherine and the baby before having supper with Freya, Kol, and Elijah.

"Ever since I can remember," Nik replied.

They were walking hand in hand at a much slower pace then his siblings and Bonnie could not help but enjoy the feel of his hand in hers. She felt protected and reassured by his gentle touch.

"Because of the rivalry between your families," Bonnie concluded.

"In part yes," Nik responded. "But more than that, we never really got along. Alphas always clash with each other."

"Damon is an Alpha?"

"His father Giuseppe is the current Alpha and head of the Salvatore clan," Nik explained. "But everything points to Damon being his successor, Stefan is too much of a pacifist."

"What happened between him and Rebekah?" Bonnie asked him suddenly.

Rebekah and Henrik had disappeared from view and the hallway was empty saved for the two of them. Nik stopped walking, a serious and very angry look crossing his features.

"I'm sorry," Bonnie said quickly. "I just sensed something between them, you don't have to tell me anything."

"Rebekah and Stefan were in love," Nik said at last. "But due to the rivalry between both of our families, father forbid them from being together. Giuseppe is a cunning and ambitious man, father has always tried to keep him far away from the throne."

"Oh," Bonnie felt really sad for the couple. "Rebekah seemed really angry with Stefan…" she couldn't stop herself from saying.

"He swore to love Rebekah forever," Nik's voice was filled with anger. "And yet, shortly after father denied him her hand, he married another."

"He's married?" Bonnie exclaimed.

"He was. His wife died in the birthing bed, along with their child." Nik paused, uncertain if he should tell her the rest.

"There is more isn't it?" Bonnie could see it, he was holding something back.

"There was the scandal with Lady Caroline," Nik responded at last. "She was a cousin to Stefan's wife, she went to live with them after her mother's death, and if you believe the rumors of the court, she seduced him and his brother."

"Do you believe the rumors?" Bonnie asked him point blank.

"Caroline is not the whore people make her out to be." Nik stared into her eyes as he spoke. "She has a good heart and has suffered greatly because of it."

Bonnie let go of his hand, not liking how he defended that woman. Bonnie certainly didn't believe Caroline had a good heart.

"You should meet her," Niklaus suggested. "I think you would enjoy her company."

Bonnie's mouth dropped open at the ridiculous idea. "You wish for her to serve me as a lady in waiting?" she questioned without being able to contain how angry and offended she felt.

"Would you take her under your service if I were to ask?" Nik challenged.

"Never," Bonnie hissed. A couple of the torches hanging on the walls lit up as her magic came alive with her anger.

Nik's eyes went wide, looking back and forth between the torches and Bonnie's angry face. He seemed in awe of her power. "You did that..."

Bonnie nodded.

Nik smiled. "Impressive."

Despite her anger, Bonnie felt glad he did not seem afraid of her magic.

Nik was fascinated actually. "What else can you do?" he asked her eagerly. "Can you make things move without touching them?"

"Yes," Bonnie whispered softly.

He wanted to ask more but seeing the look on her face prevented him from it. "There is no need to be jealous, wife." His lips twitched and he took a step closer.

"I am not-"

Niklaus silenced her by placing an index finger over her lips and leaning forward. "You are," he whispered moving his finger away from her lips and tracing her heated cheek with his knuckles. "There is no need to feel jealous, love."

 _Love._ He had called her love. That word had Bonnie's heart exploding with incredible happiness.

"Although, I find myself liking it."

Bonnie's eyes went wide and her heart skipped a beat. He was so handsome, his eyes were as blue as the sea, and his lips…she felt tempted to pressed her face closer and touch his mouth to his. Her body shook violently at the images her mind conjured.

"I felt jealous too," Nik confessed suddenly.

"What?" Bonnie asked surprised by the confession.

"When Damon promised to kiss you, I wanted to rip him to shreds."

Bonnie trembled at his words. The way he was looking at her was melting her from the inside out.

"I want to be the only one who knows the taste of your lips," he whispered seductively and inched closer to her face. He inhaled her sweet scent, and purred with delight.

"Yes…" Bonnie's breath mingled with his as they both moved even closer to each other. _I don't want to know any other lips but yours,_ she thought feeling a pull between them, like invisible strings binding them together. There was an ache inside her, a longing that was agonizing.

Niklaus rested his forehead against hers and cupped her face tenderly with both of his hands, pulling her head towards him. Bonnie closed her eyes, her blood felt like fire while her heart soared with hope and desire. She licked her lips anticipating his kiss.

Klaus groaned.

"There you are."

They both pulled apart at once.

The bubbled of heat that had surrounded them burst.

Bonnie's face was hot and she looked away, catching her breath, and trembling like a newborn lamb.

"Henrik…" if looks could kill, Henrik would have dropped dead on the spot from the murderous glare his brother gave him.

"What were you doing?" Henrik asked innocently.

"What do you want?" Nik snapped instead of responding his inquiry.

"Davina is looking for Bonnie," Henrik informed them. "She thought you might have taken the wrong turn and gotten lost. I offered to help find you." He smiled sweetly at Bonnie. "I can escort you to your chamber." He gallantly offered Bonnie his arm.

He had the sweetest smile and seemed genuinely unaware of what he had just interrupted.

"That won't be necessary," Nik protested.

"I would love to," Bonnie said almost at the same time and took Henrik's offered arm. She couldn't look at her husband, not when her heart was beating so fast, and she felt ready to faint.

Henrik beamed and happily guided her down the hallway. "This will be my first time participating in a tourney…" he started chatting with her.

Bonnie nodded and smiled from time to time, pretending to be paying attention to what he was saying; but all the while she felt very much aware of her husband's heated gaze on her back. Nik was following them like a shadow, the heat of his body rubbing against Bonnie's back, making the hairs on her neck stand up, and her body shudder with nerves and anticipation. Mother goddess, what was she going to do after supper when she would definitely find herself alone with him in their chamber?

Bonnie gulped.

* * *

 **That night**

"I'm taking Sage to see the woman in the woods," Esther told her husband.

Mikael did not acknowledge her. He stood by the open window, contemplating his kingdom deep in thought. There was a sour taste in his mouth, disappointment, anger, and hidden beneath, small currents of fear. Another granddaughter, another girl. _What have I done for the wolf gods to punish me like this?_ He wondered. Three granddaughters, three girls who would be useless when the time came for his death. _You still have three other sons,_ his mind countered.

"They say she helped Lady Adelaide to conceive a son after ten winters of fruitless marriage," Esther continued. She sat on the bed, a silk navy robe clinging to her body and a cup of wine in hand. "She comes highly recommended, it would be good for Sage to see her."

"After all this time you still haven't given up," Mikael turned away from the window and gave her an icy look. The hope in his wife's eyes was rather pathetic. "Sage's womb is as dead as the desert."

"I don't exactly have a choice but to hope for a miracle," Esther spat, her hand clenching around her cup of wine.

Mikael's eyes narrowed.

"If you would allow the marriage to be annulled-"

Mikael cursed and turned away from the window, walking angrily to the table against the opposite wall. "No," he hissed as he served himself a cup of wine. "How many times do I have to tell you, there will be no annulment!" He turned towards his wife, a hint of gold flashing across his eyes. Esther's desire to annul Finn's marriage to Sage and find him another wife was tiresome.

Esther's jaw clenched and she looked down at her nearly empty cup. She needed to choose her words carefully as this was a sensitive subject but the anger she felt on her son's behalf always got the best of her. "Finn is our first-born son," she said raising her face and staring into her husband's angry eyes. "He should be your heir."

Mikael laughed upon hearing that. "Finn is weak, indecisive, and uninspiring. His own men laugh at him behind his back," he muttered. "He has water in his veins."

"Who should take your place then?" Esther stood up from the bed. "Elijah?" she questioned him.

"Elijah is a good leader." _He would have been the perfect successor_ , Mikael thought bitterly.

"He is a good leader certainly, but he can only sire daughters. Not to mention that his wife is far too spirited to be queen. Elijah is weak when it comes to her, she would be the power behind the throne and so would her family."

"What of Niklaus then?" Mikael challenged. "What objection do you have against him?" he watched her with curious eyes. "You cannot deny to my face that he is more assertive than Elijah, stronger and braver than Finn, and unlike Kol, he takes his duties seriously." There was pride in his eyes and voice as he spoke of their son.

That gave Esther pause. She drank the last of her wine and thought of her son, the one that had nearly torn her apart as he pushed his way out into the world. Freya's and Niklaus's births had been the most difficult for her. She had been so weak after Freya, it had taken her many moons to recover and she had nearly died with Niklaus.

 _They say that Fenrir tore his mother in half as he came into the world_.

The old hag's raspy voice haunted Esther to this day. She shivered, not wishing to remember the night she had nearly died in order to bring Niklaus into the world, nor the unique circumstances of said moment.

"He's married to _that girl_ ," Esther said at last. "Our royal blood is tainted by that scum." In private, she could not hide the hatred she felt towards Bonnie and her people. "I still can't believe you married him to that witch girl." She and a few brave other nobles had opposed fervently to the marriage but the king had not listened to them and gotten his way in the end.

"That marriage ended the war and secured a powerful alliance."

"That marriage is an insult to our people!" Esther snapped. "How could you allow our royal blood to be tainted by that filth, you- "

"I ended a bloody war started by your foolish grandfather!" Mikael cut her off. "A century of worthless bloodshed and endless conflict all because of an old fool's pride!" He took a step closer. "Your family nearly destroyed this kingdom by going to war with the Bennett clan. And you wish me to start another war by allowing Finn to set aside his wife," he shook his head. "Luckily for us, it is I who wears the crown and not _you_."

"I merely want to secure our reign."

"By annulling Finn's marriage and insulting Sage and her family?" Mikael questioned angrily. "Do I need to remind you that Sage's father commands the largest army in the land, second only to ours? Do I need to remind you that he has the support of the Gemini clan and that he helped negotiate a trading route with the Travelers? Not to mention all the loyalty he has shown us since his daughter married our son. If I allow Finn to set Sage aside, I would be insulting a loyal vassal and starting a war our people do not want or need."

Esther looked away, knowing the truth behind his words. Sage's father was far too powerful, they could not afford to lose his support. But her stubbornness did not allow her to surrender so easily. "Niklaus's marriage will bear no fruit," she said with a certainty that surprised them both. "Even if Bonnie were to conceive, she will never be able to carry that child to term." She met his eyes unflinchingly. "She is not a werewolf; her body will not be able to handle her pregnancy. Her magic will reject her own child and kill it in her womb." She threw her empty cup on the floor and glared at him. "Let us hope you make a better match for Kol, because if things remain as they are, you will be the first and only monarch of the Mikaelson line," she hissed.

"And you would love that wouldn't you wife?" Mikael snarled and took a menacing step closer, the beast inside him looming closer to the surface.

Esther steeled herself, years of practicing allowing her to maintain a composed and indifferent façade.

"Get out!" The king commanded.

Esther did not need to be told twice, she fled the room, running to the safety of her chambers with her heart in her throat.

Mikael's jaw clenched and his hands balled into fists as he suppressed the urge to shift and tear her limb for limb. _I am the first but I shall not be the last of the Mikaelson bloodline,_ he swore.

* * *

 _Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, see you next time!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews. I hope you guys like this chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

Supper was a quiet family affair, the excitement of the tournament carried and the conversation was light and pleasant. Afterwards, Elijah and Niklaus sat by the fire, talking and drinking quietly.

"All eyes will be on you and your wife now," Elijah conversed.

"Is this your clever way of asking me if I'm fulfilling my marital duties, brother?" Nik's voice was teasing but there was a shadow behind his gaze. He knew perfectly well the kind of pressure he and Bonnie would have upon their shoulders.

Elijah's eyes drifted towards the flames and his shoulders sunk. In the privacy of his chamber, in the company of his brother he could allow himself to show his worries. "I have disappointed father yet again." His father had barely spoken to him since the birth of his daughter.

"There is time yet for another child."

Elijah turned to him then. "Or for you to give him the grandson he desires."

"Would you be angry with me?" Nik met his eyes. "If I were to succeed in that in which you have failed."

"No," Elijah responded with all the sincerity he felt in his heart. "I never wanted to be king," he confessed in a low murmur. "I know most men would worry about having only daughters but I feel happy, relived if I'm being honest." As much as he was a failure in his father's eyes, he felt blissfully happy with this girls. "I'm glad I'm not the Mikaelson Alpha."

He was being honest, Nik could see it in his eyes.

"Being king means sleeping with one eye open," Elijah continued. "Constantly worrying about the ambitious clans that surround our family like vultures. To them we don't deserve the throne. They will do anything in their power to destroy us."

"Fuck them," Nik hissed as he drank more wine.

"I worry, Niklaus."

"You always worry too much."

Elijah placed his goblet on the small wooden table between them and pulled a folded piece of parchment from his tunic.

"What is this?" Niklaus asked as he took it and scanned the names on the parchment.

"The lords who will be staying at the Salvatore estate during the tournament," Elijah responded. "Giuseppe has invited all of them for a friendly hunt."

"But you think there is more to it."

Elijah nodded. "Out of all the families that hate us, the Salvatore clan has always been the most dangerous."

"And the tournament will be the perfect place to bring all of them together without suspicion," Nik supplied.

"One can never be too careful when it comes to Giuseppe."

"Indeed." Nik took another sip of his wine. "I would love to see them try something." It would give him the perfect excuse to rip Giuseppe's and Damon's throats open without question. The beast inside him yearned to unleash all his anger on them.

"Niklaus-"

"Make no mistake brother," Nik's eyes shifted yellow. "I will defeat any foe that stands in our way. If Giuseppe tries anything, he will live to regret it." Him and anyone who dared to help him.

"The Salvatores are powerful, Damon is-"

"He's nothing," Nik hissed.

The confident grin on his face made Elijah shiver. His brother had always been confident in his skills, to the point where he could come across as arrogant to others. Elijah knew how strong Niklaus was, he was the strongest out of all them. And while he hadn't really voiced it out loud, Elijah knew that Niklaus considered himself the Alpha of the Mikaelson clan and the future king.

"Whatever happens, victory shall be ours."

"May the wolf gods make it so," Elijah whispered. For their family's sake, he hoped that the gods smiled down upon them and helped them thwart whatever their enemies could be planning against them. One way or another, the crown had to remain with the Mikaelson clan.

* * *

 **The next morning**

 _Heat_

 _Smoke_

 _Anguished screams_

 _Fear_

 _She could hardly see through the dark smoke that surrounded her. Her labored breathing echoed in her ears while she felt lightheaded and even nauseous. "Niklaus!" she choked on the black thick smoke penetrating her lungs. "Niklaus!"_

 _Where was he?_

 _There was a lot of fear and confusion. People were running past her, all of them scared of the raging fire consuming the grounds. Her legs felt weak, her eyes were filled with tears, and her throat burned. She had no idea how the fire had started or why she couldn't find her family. The crowd pushing past her were all strangers. Where was the King and the Queen? Where was her husband?_

" _Rebekah!" she tried, stumbling on her feet. "Henrik!" She could hardly see, and breathing was becoming more difficult. "Niklaus!" she tried again. "Nik, where are you?"_

 _Her husband was nowhere to be found._

 _Someone grabbed her from behind. Bonnie screamed when strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist, pulling her to the ground. "Let me go!" A figure emerged from the smoke, fire in his wake. "No.." she tried to break free, keeping her eyes on the approaching figure. He wore black robes and had a steel mask covering his face. "Please…" her feeble attempts to break free were easily blocked by the person grabbing her from behind. He forced her to her knees. "NO!" she cried out as she saw the masked figure looming over her, a sharp knife in hand._

Bonnie screamed.

"Bonnie-"

Hands touched her bare arms, jolting her out of her dream.

In her fear, Bonnie pushed them away, her magic immediately coming to her defense. There was a painful hiss and the hands pulled away.

"It's alright, it was just a dream."

That voice sounded familiar.

The scent of blood penetrated her senses.

"Wake up, sweetheart." He touched her again, gently.

Bonnie stopped struggling against him and her eyes flew open all of a sudden. Her husband was peering down at her, concern written all over his face. She sat up startled, the fear almost paralyzed her and the pain in her throat choked the air out of her lungs. Those first few moments were confusing. Her mind was in chaos.

"Just take a deep breath," Niklaus told her softly. "You're alright."

It took her a couple of moments to realize that it had been a bad dream, there was no smoke or hooded figures attacking, she was in her chamber, she was safe. She pushed her sweat covered hair out of her face and focused on her breathing.

"It was just a dream sweetheart," Niklaus's voice was soft and reassuring.

Bonnie stared at his face. Before she could utter a word, she noticed the angry cut on her husband's cheek. "…what…" _had she done that?_ Her fingers tingled from the small current of power that had been released. Yes, she realized with horror, she had attacked him. "I'm sorry," she blurted. "I'm so sorry…I…"

Niklaus did not say anything, he simply watched her.

Bonnie gasped when she saw that the once angry slash had now become a thin red line. The wound had stopped bleeding and to her utter amazement, the skin was mending itself. She reached out without thinking, tracing her shaky fingers over his now healed cheek. It had happened so fast. If she had not been staring intently at his face, she would have missed it. "How did you do that?" she wondered in awe. The skin of his cheek had healed completely and there was not a single scar left.

"Wolves can heal fast, remember?"

Bonnie dropped her hand and looked down, feeling ashamed that she had hurt him. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I-"

"You were having a bad dream."

She nodded. She couldn't remember the last time she had such a vivid dream. She shuddered and hugged herself, forcing the memories away from her mind. She didn't want to see the hooded figure or the steel mask coming towards her, and the knife. She let out a small whimper. The last time she had a terrible dream like this, Grams had been there and so had her sisters. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she was a young girl again so she could sneak into Emily's bed or be with her Grams. She had always felt safe with Grams.

"Come with me."

Bonnie opened her eyes. Niklaus was standing in front of the bed, offering his hand to her. "Where?"

"You will see."

Tentatively, Bonnie took his hand and got up from the bed. "I need to get dressed," she said. Davina had not come yet, which meant it was still pretty early.

"I shall help you."

Bonnie's cheeks felt hot as she stood near the bed and allowed her husband to lace her dress. She picked a modest dark blue dress with long sleeves but despite her nerves at her husband's close proximity and expert fingers, the fear her dream had instilled in her lingered; taking hold of her heart and her mind.

 _I must be ready_ , Bonnie thought. The dream had been a clear warning that she was in danger. She needed to be careful.

"There," Niklaus finished lacing her dress and also placed a thick red cloak around her shoulders.

Bonnie noticed that he was already dressed for the day. "You were awake already," she murmured.

"I was going to the training yard," he explained as he opened the door and let her outside.

"With Henrik?"

"No." He took her hand and the two began walking down the torched lit hallway. "I wanted to practice by myself for a bit before my lesson with him." It was the reason he was up before the sun rose. "I have to be ready for the tourney too."

Bonnie nodded.

The castle was quiet. It was the early morning hours and the only people walking about were the guards on duty and the servants. They all bowed their heads as the couple passed. Bonnie didn't think she would ever get used to people showing such reverence to her. It was strange.

"Where are we going?" she asked her husband once more as they made their way out of the castle.

"You will see," he grinned.

Bonnie shivered. It was a could morning and dark clouds threatened to bring rain at any moment while a thick white mist surrounded the grounds.

"Trust me," Niklaus gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I do," Bonnie murmured quietly. Even though the fear was still in her bones, she liked the warm feel of his hand in hers. His presence was comforting. It didn't matter where they went, with him she felt safe.

* * *

As they walked, Bonnie saw more servants tending to the animals, and more guards patrolling the grounds. Birds were chirping, dogs were barking, and low murmurs of conversation accompanied their steps at first. She couldn't really tell where they were going, the fog made it difficult but Niklaus knew the way. They passed the training yard and followed a dirt path until there was absolute silence.

Bonnie could no longer hear the dogs and the horses, or the birds in the trees. There were no more servants or guards walking around either, it was just the two of them, walking deep into the forest. Different shaped rocks and roses aligned the familiar path.

"I've been here before," Bonnie realized, feeling a strong sense of familiarity.

"Yes, you have."

She saw the crimson colored leaves first, coming out of the mist with their long branches. She had never seen a tree with a white trunk and leaves the color of blood. It was the only one in the castle too, probably the only one in the wolf kingdom.

They stopped right in front of it.

Bonnie looked up, feeling small and insignificant beneath the majestic tree. Her skin tingled as small currents of power gently greeted her. _Magic,_ Bonnie noted with surprise. There was magic inside the tree; strong, powerful, ancient magic that engulf the oak completely.

"This is where we were wed," Niklaus glanced sideways and stared at her face. "Do you remember?"

"Yes." Bonnie looked at him before staring back at the tree. The warm and gentle tendrils of power caressed her face before retreating completely. She couldn't stop the small smile forming on her lips. _Hauntingly beautiful,_ she thought. "There is something about this place." She could feel the power lingering in the air. It was intoxicating.

"The white oak is eternal," Niklaus told her. "Unique and powerful. It's one of nature's most mystical and incredible beings."

Bonnie glanced around the stones surrounding the tree. "What are those?"

"They've been here long before us," Niklaus responded. "It is said the wolf gods brought them here to protect their sacred tree."

"To keep evil spirits away?"

"Perhaps."

Bonnie breathed the fresh air and welcomed the quietness. It was so peaceful. The fear that had been nibbling at her bones disappeared and was replaced with a soothing balm of tranquility. She kept staring up, eyes slowly moving over the branches. Some were thicker than the others, some were curved, and two large branches were low enough for people to climb on them, but they were all white as snow and the leaves were a luscious red that made a stunning contrast with the green of the forest around them, and the white roses beneath. Without realizing it, she let go of Nik's hand and walked closer to the tree, tentatively raising her arm. She took a deep breath and reached for the low branch above her head, fingers lightly touching one leaf. _Soft as a feather_ , was her first thought before an image cut through her brain.

 _A black beast with yellow eyes stared back at her, baring his sharp fangs in warning._

Bonnie gasped and dropped her hand immediately, her heart skipping a beat. She looked at her surroundings, half expecting to see the dangerous beast lurking about.

"What did you see?" Niklaus questioned her, coming to stand beside her.

Bonnie glanced at his face.

"You saw something," he stated.

"A black beast with yellow eyes," Bonnie responded while staring at his eyes. She shook her head and looked back at the leaves hanging above them. It had been a fleeting image, an imprint left behind by a powerful creature and her magic had picked it up.

"I saw him too."

Bonnie turned back to her husband, surprised by his admission. "You did?"

"Not now," Niklaus responded, his eyes moving over the branches. "But the very first time I touched the tree, I was still a boy." He touched one of the leaves with gentle fingers. "I have seen him many times since then," he whispered more to himself.

"Him?" Bonnie questioned.

"Fenrir," Niklaus responded with a proud grin. "The mightiest of all the wolf gods."

Bonnie could tell her husband was clearly devoted this god, Fenrir. It made her wonder. "How many wolf gods are there?"

"Too many to count," Niklaus replied. "They are like the stars in the sky." He leaned his back against the tree and crossed his arms over his chest, lips twitching into a fond smile as he recalled his childhood lessons. "Fenrir, Hela, Ajax, Hannu, Siegfried, Saara…" he gave a slight shrug. "I could spend all morning telling you their names." He paused. "What about you?" he asked her then. "How many gods does your people have?"

"Only one," Bonnie responded. "The mother goddess. She's the mother of nature, of witches, and the earth. Without her, we would not exist."

Niklaus took a couple of steps closer and stared into her eyes, _beautiful, green, and captivating_. He could lose himself in those eyes. He wanted to tell her more, he wanted to share the stories of his childhood with her and hear the stories of her childhood in turn, but there was something more important that they needed to discuss. "Tell me about your dream." It was the reason he had brought her here. He had seen the wild and fearful look on her face and wanted to make her feel better. This was the place where he sought comfort after all.

Bonnie let out a shaky breath. She didn't want to be reminded of that bad dream but her husband's inquisitive gaze made it difficult for her to keep quiet. "There was a fire," she began telling him in a trembling voice. "I could feel the heat surrounding me, the smoke burning my lungs, and the screams…so many screams…" she shuddered and pulled the cloak tighter around her neck. "I saw a masked figure with a knife," she paused, swallowing the knot in her throat and gathering the courage to continue. "Someone held me from behind and then he…" she couldn't bring herself to finish.

"It was a horrible dream, sweetheart." He came to stand in front of her and placed his hands gently over her arms. "A terrible dream, nothing more." He hated the fear he saw reflected in her eyes. He didn't want her to be afraid of anything.

"Maybe not."

"What do you mean?"

"I am a witch," Bonnie told him while holding his gaze. "Our dreams are never just dreams, they always have a meaning." She looked away from him and looked around the forest. The fog was starting to clear up and she could see countless of tress surrounding them, in the distance she saw smoke coming from the castle's high towers. Everything was slowly coming awake but the sun refused to come out still, choosing to hide behind stormy clouds. Like the storm the dream had brought upon her. Bonnie took a deep breath before she continued, "sometimes the meaning is hidden, other times the warning is quite clear."

"What are you saying?"

"Something bad is going to happen," Bonnie said in a matter of fact tone. _I think someone is going to try and kill me,_ she kept that to herself though. "Someone will try to hurt me."

"No one is going to hurt you," Nik growled.

Bonnie was surprised by the anger she heard in his voice and the way his eyes became two glittering ambers. Her magic sizzled as it felt the dark and potent aura surrounding her husband. A low rumble escaped his throat and Bonnie shivered, not in fear, she wasn't afraid that he was going to hurt her, no, in anticipation. She felt a strange heat coiling inside her belly. He looked dangerous and so handsome with his golden eyes, she couldn't help but lean into him.

"I won't let anyone hurt you, ever."

She felt touched by the protectiveness, and the devotion she heard in his voice. "They won't," she assured him. "My dream was a warning, I know what's coming now," she told him, moving even closer to him until they were practically breathing the same air. "And I will be ready." She suppressed a smile at his startled gaze. "I can protect myself."

"It is my duty as your husband to protect you."

"Your duty?" Bonnie arched an eyebrow.

"And my desire to do so," he amended quickly. He leaned down just as she tilted her head up. Their eyes locked once more.

She smiled at his response. "I'm grateful, truly," Bonnie said to him. "But I'm no delicate flower that needs someone to keep her safe."

"No, you are not." He whispered against her lips. "You are brave," he cradled the side of her face and gave her a look that nearly melted her dress off. "And beautiful," his lips grazed hers.

Bonnie felt her heart jump into her throat by that quick touch. She wanted more.

He was watching her carefully, studying her reactions in detail, and barely controlling the wave of desire invading his body. "I want to kiss you, Bonnie."

"I want to kiss you too," she admitted shyly. She had waited for him the night before, nervously anticipating something happening between them. But she had fallen asleep before his return and had woken up in fear. _Not anymore,_ Bonnie thought. He had made the fear go away. With him, she felt safe and treasured. "Kiss me," she ordered.

Niklaus smiled at her boldness, his eyes glinting with hidden desire. He lowered his head and placed his lips against hers once more.

Bonnie's entire body trembled at the feel of his lips pressing against hers. She closed her eyes and melted into his body as he kissed her, slowly at first. It seemed fitting that they shared their first kiss beneath the lovely white oak tree that had witnessed their union.

A soft wind blew around them, rustling the leaves while the strong currents of magic surrounding the area grew stronger, engulfing the couple in a delicate and invisible ring of magic. It was as if the wolf gods and Fenrir himself, approved of their union.

Neither of them felt the change. They were lost in each other, lips moving together, and slowly exploring each other's mouths, memorizing their taste, and drowning in the heat of their bodies as they pressed closer together. Niklaus wrapped a possessive arm around her waist while Bonnie's fingers clenched on the soft material of his green tunic as she held on to him for dear life. A strange meowl sound escaped her throat as he deepened the kiss. _Is this what it feels like to fly?_ Bonnie wondered as she mimicked his movements while clutching the back of his neck with one hand. She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing but it was easy to follow his lead and let herself go. She was like a budding rose opening her petals to the sun for the first time. It felt wonderful.

They pulled away breathless.

Bonnie's face was hot and she couldn't contain the nervous giggle that followed.

Nik smiled and touched his forehead to hers. No kiss had ever made him feel so lightheaded and happy.

Bonnie licked her lips, feeling that heat coiling in her belly again. She wanted to kiss him again. She wanted to kiss him always. Almost as if he were reading her thoughts, Niklaus grabbed her face with both of his hands and planted another kiss on her.

Bonnie gasped and placed her hands on either side of his shoulders.

They both laughed as they pulled apart.

Niklaus's arm tightened around her waist and Bonnie touched the side of his face pushing some of his hair out of his handsome face. She could stare into his eyes for all eternity, she realized. They shared a smile before their lips found each other again. _Kissing was the best thing about being married_ , Bonnie decided as she lost herself in her husband's hungry mouth.

* * *

"You sent for me father," Rebekah said as she stepped inside the throne room. She was surprised to find it empty saved for the king himself.

"Come closer," Mikael ordered.

Rebekah's heart picked up as she lowered her head and did a perfect curtsy, the way she had been taught as a child.

The king sat on his throne, a thoughtful look on his face as he contemplated his daughter silently. He had always had a soft spot for Rebekah.

Rebekah felt nervous. She dusted invisible dirt from the long skirt of her pale-yellow dress and did her best to appear calm and composed. She was anything but.

"I have invited the reigning princes from the East."

Rebekah's heart sank.

"They shall arrive soon and will stay until the tourney."

"No…" she whispered, realizing what her father was actually telling her. "Please…"

"It's time you wed, Rebekah."

"I don't want to."

The king's eyes narrowed. "The East kingdom borders our lands, it has one of the best trained armies in the world, a union between our families would be beneficial."

"I don't want to marry!"

"You will do your duty!" The king shouted and stood up. "Girls your age are already mothers," he reminded her harshly. "I have been far too lenient with you Rebekah but the time has come for you to do your duty."

"Father, please-"

"You can choose from any of the three princes," Mikael interrupted her. "But an alliance will be made between our kingdoms, an alliance sealed by marriage."

Rebekah's bottom lip trembled.

"You may go now."

Rebekah ran out of the throne room in tears.

The king sat back down on the throne, leaning his head back against the soft cushion, and closing his eyes. His face twisted in pain. _It is for your own good, sweet girl._ His daughter would no doubt hate him for a time but marrying her off and sending her to the East would not only keep her safe from all the ambitious families trying to put their sons in her path but it would also keep her far away from the clutches of the Salvatore boy.

* * *

Bonnie had a dreamy look on her face as she laid on the bed. She sighed and touched her swollen lips. "Nik…" she murmured adoringly. She was floating. Kissing her husband had been the most wonderful thing she had ever experienced. It had been perfect too. Until the rain had come down hard and forced them to stop. Bonnie giggled, remembering the matching shocked expression on both of their faces. Had it not been for the rain ruining their moment, she felt certain she would still be back on the stone garden, kissing her husband beneath the white oak tree. They had run back inside the castle like naughty children, holding hands, and grinning from ear to ear.

Henrik had insisted that Niklaus continue their lessons despite the rain. So, while her husband and his younger brother trained in an empty wing of the castle, Bonnie returned to their chamber to dream. The feel of Nik's lips lingered and Bonnie welcomed it with open arms. She couldn't wait for his return so they could kiss again. Her cheeks grew hot at the thought of them kissing in their room, in their bed. A nervous fluttered invaded the pit of her stomach as she wondered what _other things_ they could do as well. _Would Niklaus want to consummate their marriage now? Did she want to? Did she feel ready to make their marriage real?_

The door swung open and Bonnie sat up, startled by the noise.

Rebekah ran inside the room, tears streaming down her face.

"Rebekah!" Bonnie immediately rushed to her side. "What is it?" Fear took hold of her heart. _Had something bad happened? Was Nik or Henrik hurt?_

Rebekah's eyes were red and puffy and she could hardly speak through her tears.

Bonnie placed a silencing spell on the room and motioned for Rebekah to sit on the bed. "Tell me."

Rebekah let out a shaky breath. "Father has invited three princes from the East, they're going to come for the tourney," she choked in between sobs. "He wants me to pick one." She swallowed hard. "I have to marry one of them."

Bonnie sat on the bed next to her, heart aching at the anguished look on Rebekah's face. "I see." For a princess like Rebekah, an arranged marriage was to be expected. But Bonnie knew that Rebekah wanted love and happiness. _But you can have that in an arranged marriage can't you?_ Her own arranged marriage came to mind. She and Niklaus were definitely happier now than on their wedding day.

"I don't want to marry," Rebekah cried out. "I don't want a stupid prince from the East!"

Bonnie wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close.

"I don't want any of them. I could never love them…I…."

"I'm sorry," Bonnie whispered as they pulled apart. "I am so sorry, Rebekah."

Rebekah's hands clenched on her dress. She was angry and she was scared and Bonnie had been the first person she had thought of seeing after being dismissed from the throne room. "I thought he would allow me to choose," she whispered painfully. "But he's going to force me to marry and send me away. I don't want to go away. This is my home. I want to stay here."

Bonnie wasn't exactly sure how far the East kingdom was but it was more than that, she knew the desperation Rebekah was feeling, she had felt it herself when Grams had informed her of her marriage. "Is there anything that can be done to change the king's mind?" she asked gently. "Your mother, could she intervene?"

Rebekah laughed bitterly at that. "My mother's only concern is Finn," she spat angrily. "He's always been her favorite you know. She doesn't even try to hide it."

Bonnie had figured as much. She had seen how close the queen was with Finn and his wife Sage.

"She might try to find another husband for me," Rebekah muttered. "But one _loyal to her_ ," she mumbled under her breath.

Bonnie frowned. _What did Rebekah mean by that?_ _Were there people loyal to the queen and not the king?_

"I hate this," Rebekah continued to cry. "I want to marry for love," she declared with a sad smile. "I know is foolish given my position but-" her father had never pressured her to find a husband, he had always made it seem like she would have a choice.

"It's not foolish at all." Bonnie felt sympathy for her. "I know how you feel."

Rebekah gave her a knowing look. "You didn't want to marry Nik."

"No," Bonnie responded quietly. "I was terrified, just like you are now," she admitted. "But your brother is not as bad as I imagined. He's been a wonderful husband." She took Rebekah's hand in hers. "You will have the chance to meet princes, to talk to them, and see what they are like. That is more than I, or many other women had."

Rebekah looked down, more tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Perhaps you might end up falling in love with one of the princes," Bonnie tried to comfort her.

"Never."

"Rebekah-"

"I love Stefan," Rebekah raised her chin proudly and looked directly into Bonnie's eyes. "I will always love him."

Bonnie squeezed her fingers. "Even if he broke your heart?"

Rebekah whimpered and looked away. "I want to hate him, I do. He promised to love me, to find a way for us to be together but when father denied him my hand, he married another." She had cried herself to sleep many nights as she thought of him in another woman's arms. "It hurt." She looked down again and sniffled. "I prayed to the gods for his unhappiness and when his wife and child died in the birthing bed, I felt terrible. I cursed him."

"No, Rebekah. That's not-"

"I did." Rebekah's face was filled with regret. "Every night I pray to Hela and she answered my prayers by claiming the life of the woman who took him from me." She hadn't meant to bring death to Stefan's wife and child, all she had wanted was for him to be as miserable and broken hearted as she was.

"Many women lose their lives in the birthing bed," Bonnie told her gently. "The death of Stefan's wife and their child was not your fault."

"You really think so?"

"I know so." The dangers of birthing a child affected rich and poor women alike. _We dance with death when we bring new life into the world,_ her aunt Ernestine had said plenty of times. She had been a midwife and had seen her fair share of widowed husbands. Magic improved a woman's chance greatly but even then, there were times were magic was not enough.

"I'm angry with him," Rebekah continued tearfully. "But I still love him." There were times when she dreamed of the two of them running away and starting a new life somewhere far away. "It's stupid-"

"No, it's not."

There was s long moment of silence.

Rebekah continued to cry silently and Bonnie did her best to comfort her. She felt bad for the poor girl. Bonnie better than anyone knew what it was like to be forced into a marriage. Although Nik had turned out to be a good husband. She didn't know what the princes from the East were like. _What if they were cruel? What if they hurt Rebekah?_ She would be far away from her family, alone, and at the mercy of her new husband _._ Bonnie bit her lip, an idea forming in her mind.

Rebekah laid on the bed, curled on her side, while Bonnie sat on the edge, gently stroking her long blonde hair.

"Why does your father want you to marry now?" Bonnie wondered suddenly. "Isn't Freya older than you? Shouldn't the eldest daughter be married first? Or Kol?" She didn't like the thought of Freya or Kol being forced into a marriage but Rebekah was the one she was closest to. Bonnie didn't want to lose her friendship.

Rebekah stiffened at the question.

"That's how we do it," Bonnie told her. "My sister Emily was married first and Lucy was promised to the Traveler king a summer ago, their wedding was set back because he lost his mother. But she would have been married before me."

Rebekah sat up and rubbed her eyes, before wiping away the tears from her cheeks. "Freya was married," she murmured. "And father is probably seeking someone for Kol already."

Bonnie's eyes opened wide. "I did not know that Freya was married."

"Is not something we don't like to talk about," Rebekah said biting her bottom lip. She didn't look at Bonnie, choosing to stare at her hands instead. "It was mother's idea," she confessed in a low murmur. "A terrible idea really," she added while playing nervously with her hands. "Don't ask me more," she finally looked into Bonnie's eyes. "It's my sister's story to tell."

"Of course." Bonnie felt curious but she wasn't going to force Rebekah to divulge more than what she already had. She hoped one day Freya would share her story with her.

"I should go," Rebekah muttered. "I'm sorry to have stormed in here like this, I just didn't know who to talk to and-"

"Don't apologize," Bonnie cut her off. "We're sisters, aren't we?"

"Yes, we are." Rebekah smiled weakly. Talking and crying with Bonnie had definitely helped with her troubled heart.

"And sisters help each other."

Rebekah nodded but there was something in the way Bonnie said it, she felt intrigued.

Bonnie's eyes glinted with mischief. "Meet the princes," she advised. "Get to know them, and if your wolf gods are kind, you might like one of them to marry but if not, if none of them are to your liking..."

"What?"

"I will help you get out of the marriage."

"How?" Rebekah asked in a hopeful voice. It was foolish to have so much hope, after all, no one could stop the king from doing as he pleased but she still felt it anyway.

Bonnie's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Magic."

* * *

The old woman lived in a tiny hut, deep in the woods. Rain was falling hard, heavy drops falling through the cracks on the roof. Sage shivered uncontrollably as she stood in front of the filthy hunchback hag with white hair and bony fingers. Her teeth were rotten and she was dressed in filthy rags. She couldn't believe her husband's mother had brought her here.

"We came here-" Esther began in an arrogant voice.

"I know exactly why you are here," the woman muttered as she set a wooden bucket on the ground, right beneath the hole on her roof.

 _Drip_

 _Drip_

 _Drip_

It set Sage's teeth on edge. She felt unconformable. The woman's presence was repugnant and so was her attitude. _Who did she think she was to speak to the queen in such manner? And to look at them as if they were beneath her?_

"Then you know we need your help."

The old woman ignored Esther and focused on Sage instead. The red-haired princess felt her skin turn cold as the woman's blue eyes looked her up and down, her mouth curled into a mocking grin.

"You want a babe."

"Yes."

The woman made her way towards Sage, who took a fearful step back. "I won't hurt you silly goose," the old woman laughed before placing her bony hand over Sage's flat stomach, the fingers with the long and dirty nails probing her womb through her velvet dress.

Sage felt nauseous as the awful stench hit her nose. The old woman had not bathed in days. She had no choice but to cover her mouth and look away from the repulsive creature.

The woman made a strange noise with her tongue and looked into Sage's face. "Your womb does not need my potions or herbs," she declared, pulling her hand away. There was a strange glint in her eyes and she looked back at the queen, a smirk on her chapped lips.

"I don't understand…" Sage frowned.

"Nothing I have will help you."

"But she needs to conceive," the queen insisted.

"She can conceive all the children she wants," the old woman snapped and moved away from both women.

"She's been married for seven winters and she has yet to conceive a child," Esther remarked while Sage winced at the reminder of her failure. "We need your help. It's the reason we came here, you come highly recommended and-"

"She's fertile."

Sage gasped and touched her stomach. She was clearly shaken by the revelation.

Esther froze.

The old woman's face twisted into a malicious grin as she stared at the queen. "My herbs and potions help women whose wombs are dry but you-" she turned to Sage then. "You have no need of any of that, your womb is fertile little goose. Ripe and ready for a man's seed to take root."

"I don't understand…" Sage felt lightheaded. Since her marriage, she had blamed herself, everyone else did. It was her fault she and Finn had no sons. _It was her fault._ She turned to her mother in law, feeling stunned by what she had just learned.

"No," Esther refused to believe what she was hearing. "You must be wrong."

"I'm never wrong," the old woman snapped. "I touched her, I felt it. Her womb is ready."

 _If her womb was ready, if she was fertile…_ "Then that means…" Sage could not bring herself to finish the sentence. _Finn, it must be Finn's fault._ Finn was the reason she had not been able to conceive a child. She choked back a sob and placed a trembling hand over her mouth, her entire body shaking.

"The problem must be your husband," the old woman finished for her. She was grinning and there was a strange glint in her eyes as she stared at the queen once more. Those blue eyes pinned Esther to the spot. _Defiance, malice, glee_ the old woman allowed her face to reflect her emotions as clear as day. "You are wasting your time with that weak boy of yours," she stated in a cold and calculating voice. The smirk on her face was frightening as she said her next words, "there is only one true Alpha and he was born under the red moon."

The color drained from Esther's face as she heard the words.

Niklaus had been born on the night of the red moon.


	7. Chapter 7

The rain falling from the sky was a distant echo in Sage's mind. Her eyes were vacant and her mind wandered endlessly as she soaked in the tub. Her fingers absently traced her flat stomach. The hag's words haunting her still.

 _Your womb does not need my potions or herbs._

Seven winters.

Seven long years of anguish, and of blaming herself for the lack of heirs. She had lived with guilt, with pain, and fear; always praying to the wolf gods for a miracle and the woman in the woods had shattered all her beliefs with a single sentence.

 _She's fertile_.

Could it be?

Where the gods so cruel?

Sage's fingers continued to trace her stomach, eyes lost in the candles illuminating the bath chamber. She was fertile, her womb was ready for a child. After so long of believing that the fault was with her, that her womb was dry and could not bear fruit, now she knew the truth.

 _Your husband and his family need heirs,_ her father had told her time and time again. He had written long letters reminding her of her duty, and the precarious position she was in for failing in the most important duty a wife had to her husband. _You must have a child and soon._

Despite her father's urgent letters and Sage's own desires, there was no child.

 _It is your duty to please your husband and give him healthy sons to inherit the wolf throne,_ her mother had whispered in her ear on the morning they parted. Sage had been young then, full of life, and dreams of a wonderful future with the handsome prince she was going to wed. Those first few moons she had lived happily-even if her husband had not been the charming prince she imagined- he was still young and strong and she had faith that love would soon follow. Finn was a handsome prince who cared for her deeply but there was no passion in their marriage, that all consuming love the wolves felt for their mates was not there and as the years went by, she found herself wanting more. A sweet child to love and fill the emptiness inside her, a child to fulfill her duty as a wife; an heir to the throne. Seven years later, she felt like an old, decrepit, crone. Each turn of the moon when her blood came, each winter when another year of marriage passed, felt like daggers to her heart. The sweet dreams she had held as young bride haunting her every step of the way. The whispers, the stares, the things said behind her back.

 _A cold fish she must be._

 _She's not worthy of our prince._

 _When will your belly be full with child?_

Sage closed her eyes, hands twisting angrily at her sides. She had endured all of the whispers and stares with incredible dignity. It was her duty after all to be the perfect wife. But more than that, she had come to believe she deserved it. She had failed in her duty as a wife therefore, she could not complain or stop what people whispered behind her back.

 _My duty,_ Sage thought bitterly. _How could she fulfill her duty when the fault was not her own but his?_ Her heart felt heavy. _How could she tell Finn? Would he even believe her?_ Her soul was tormented. What Sage had learned changed everything and nothing for an heir of Finn's blood was needed, an heir with Mikaelson blood, and that was the one thing Finn was unable to do.

 _What do I_ do? Sage wondered with anguish. _Should I tell my husband this horrible truth or should I keep quiet and let him and everyone think I am to blame?_

 _What will the queen say and do?_

 _How could they have an heir now?_

Rain kept falling, hitting the roof hard while lightning flashed time and time again across the bleak sky. The darkness that engulfed the castle walls matched the sorrow Sage felt in her heart. The sky was weeping, shedding all the tears Sage no longer had inside her.

 _What was she supposed to do now?_

* * *

"She's beautiful," Bonnie murmured. She was holding Katherine's newborn daughter in her arms. "So quiet."

"Her labor was difficult but she's the most peaceful of all my girls," Katherine said, the joy she felt illuminated her face.

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired but utterly blissful," Katherine replied with a smile. She was in bed, resting at the insistence of her husband but she felt fine. "My body has healed." She saw the look Bonnie gave her and smirked. "The advantages of being a werewolf, dear sister."

Bonnie smiled. "You all heal fast."

Katherine nodded.

Bonnie glanced at the baby once more, she squirmed a bit in her arms before continuing to sleep peacefully. She was so delicate, her skin like porcelain, and she had the most adorable tiny nose. Bonnie wanted to keep holding her forever. "Have you thought of a name?"

"Alyssa," Katherine responded sweetly. "After my mother."

"A beautiful name," Bonnie said. "Little Alyssa, how pretty you are." She kissed the baby's forehead and nuzzled her cheek tenderly. _How wonderful must it feel to have a child,_ she thought dreamily. _A little girl or boy with Nik's blue eyes._ The thought had her stomach feeling funny and heat spreading all over her face.

"Elijah worries that the queen will mind."

"That you named your daughter after your mother?" Bonnie questioned with an arched eyebrow.

Katherine nodded and rolled her eyes. "He doesn't want to offend her but I refuse to name any child of mine after her."

"I thought you got along well with the queen."

"Our relationship is cordial at best," Katherine informed Bonnie. "The only person she truly gets along with is Finn or Ayana." Katherine grabbed the goblet of water by the side of her bed and drank from it. The midwife had forbidden her from drinking wine, claiming that it was not good while nursing her child.

"She seems like a difficult woman," Bonnie commented.

"She is." Katherine had tried to like her at the start of her marriage to Elijah but some things were impossible to accomplish, particularly when the queen's preference for her eldest son's wife was apparent. She held the goblet in one hand and looked towards the window. "She has always favored Finn and thus, prefers Sage over me." It had been difficult at first but with Freya and Rebekah's support, Katherine had made a place of her own in the family.

"I think she probably prefers you over me," Bonnie murmured. "I don't think she likes me at all." Queen Esther had definitely done her best to ignore her since her marriage to Niklaus, only speaking to Bonnie when it was absolutely necessary. Bonnie supposed that it was because she was a witch and the queen probably distrusted her. After all, witches and werewolves had been at war for a very long time. Plenty of people at court still saw her as the enemy, she had no doubt of that.

Silence descended over the two friends.

It was raining hard still and the wind was rattling the crystals on the windows. It was really cold too but Katherine was comfortable in her bed, tucked under the furs and enjoying the heat from the fireplace. Earlier that morning, she had snuggled in bed with Ilia and Miraa who had tenderly welcomed their baby sister into their lives. The girls were thrilled and couldn't wait for Alyssa to grow older so they could all play together. A soft smile graced Katherine's lips as she thought of her darling girls but it was quickly replaced with concern as a distant howl captured her attention.

"What is it?" Bonnie asked her upon noticing the pensive look on her face.

"I thought I heard a wolf howling," Katherine murmured.

"I didn't hear anything." Bonnie looked at the window but from her sitting position she couldn't see anything either.

Katherine laughed. "Your senses are not enhanced enough to pick anything from up here," she told Bonnie. "No offense."

"Just how enhanced are your senses?" Bonnie wondered curiously.

"Very," Katherine replied. "More so than any human."

A servant walked towards Bonnie and picked Alyssa in her arms. Bonnie smiled and watched as the woman deposited the baby in her cot, which was on the other side of the bed.

"What's going on Martha?" Katherine questioned the woman. "I hear a wolf howling outside."

"The butcher's boy princess," Martha responded in a soft voice. "He triggered his wolf at last."

"Poor thing," Katherine said. "The first shift is always the most difficult."

"It was about time," there was no sympathy in Martha's voice. "He's nearly a man grown."

"He's barely seen his sixteen winter," Katherine reminded her. "A boy in many ways still." She couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"My boy triggered his wolf shortly after his fourteen name-day," Martha replied proudly. She picked up a tray with empty plates and quietly exited the room.

"There was no full moon last night," Bonnie murmured.

Katherine gave her a strange look.

"Don't you need the full moon to turn?"

Katherine burst into laughter. She sobered immediately, covering her mouth with hand and glanced at the cot, Alyssa was still asleep. "Where have you heard such silly thing?"

Bonnie shrugged. She didn't have much knowledge about werewolves, Nik had told her some things but there were many more she was still putting together.

"Let me guess," Katherine gave her a knowing look. "The people in your village tell stories about how cruel and bloodthirsty we are, how we turn into monsters on the night of the full moon and kill innocents to sate our thirst."

Bonnie looked down, feeling ashamed of the stories her people told. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Katherine reached out and touched her hand. "Since we tend to keep to ourselves, people make up all kinds of stories to try and make sense of what we are and what we can do." She squeezed Bonnie's hand. "But yes, when it comes to protecting those we love, we are the blood thirsty monsters the world makes us out to be."

Bonnie looked into her eyes and she could have sworn she saw Katherine's eyes shift gold.

"Is the full moon not special then?"

"We are pure werewolves Bonnie," Katherine began explaining. "The wolf lives in us, in our blood, in our soul. We do not need the full moon to shift, we can do so at will. Full moons are special because our senses are enhanced to their limits."

"Can your girls shift?" Bonnie asked, feeling fascinated by all the things she was learning.

"Not yet," Katherine responded. "Girls usually trigger their wolf shortly after their first blood and for boys it depends, most of them tend to do it between their fourteen and eighteen name day. Although some boys might do it earlier than that." She paused for a couple seconds before continuing. "Only the Alpha wolves trigger their wolf under the full moon."

Bonnie's eyes opened wide at the revelation. "Truly?"

Katherine nodded. "Any wolf that shifts for the first time during a full moon is a potential Alpha," she explained in a serious voice. "All of the king's sons triggered their wolves on a full moon, which is why no one knows for sure who the true Alpha is in the royal family." She pulled her hand away and looked down at her lap as she began listing the characteristics that determined an Alpha wolf. "Strength, courage, leadership, siring a son…" she trailed off.

"Does the first born have to be a son?" Bonnie asked gently.

"No," Katherine met her eyes once more. "There have been cases where girls have been born first but traditionally, an Alpha's first born tends to be a son." She took another sip of her water before continuing. "Finn is the king's first born and everyone assumed he was the Alpha specially after he triggered his wolf on a full moon but he's not exactly a good leader or brave if you ask me, and he and Sage have yet to produce an heir." She paused, a serious look on her face. "And while my husband triggered his wolf on a full moon too, we only have daughters…" she swallowed the lump in her throat and gave Bonnie a meaningful look. "I suppose it's only a matter of time before we find out if Niklaus is the true Alpha in the family…" she looked at Bonnie's stomach.

Bonnie looked away, feeling the heat on her face. The pressure to produce an heir was on them, _on her_ more specifically. They had been married for a short time but she already knew that the whispers and questions would start soon. The future of the Mikaelson clan depended on the heirs they could provide.

"I wanted to be queen."

Katherine's confession brought Bonnie out of her thoughts.

"When I first married Elijah," she began with a faraway look on her face. "I dreamed of one day becoming queen. I can't deny I feel disappointed that the gods are denying us the chance to rule." She would have never dared to confess such things to anyone else but she trusted Bonnie and knew the other girl wouldn't judge her. "I love my girls." Katherine smiled as she thought of her three precious jewels. "I wouldn't trade them for anything." She locked eyes with Bonnie. "And if the gods have decided against us, then I would be extremely pleased if it were you and Niklaus."

Bonnie felt a nervous flutter in her stomach. She couldn't image herself as queen of the wolves, _would they even accept her?_ "It's too soon to be making such assumptions, Katherine." Niklaus was not the only one who could take the throne. Kol could get married and sire a son, and so could Henrik. Nothing was set in stone.

 _We have plenty of time_ , Nik had told her.

But there was something inside Bonnie, _a witch feeling_ that told her they wouldn't have as much time as her husband believed.

"Perhaps you will give us the good news soon," Katherine added with a mischievous glint. "It's your most important duty as a wife." She winked playfully and laughed at the flushed covering Bonnie's cheeks.

Bonnie shook her head and looked away, her face in flames. She smiled but it did not reach her eyes. There was a heavy feeling in her heart as she thought of the expectations everyone in the kingdom had.

 _What if she couldn't give her husband the son everyone desired?_

 _Would Niklaus resent her?_

 _What if none of the Mikaelson men were meant to rule?_

Bonnie suddenly found herself plagued with many doubts and fears.

* * *

"The princes and their guards will travel through this road," the king traced his fingers over the map, the light from the fireplace casting shadows across his face. "We shall meet them at the gates of the castle and have a feast in their honor that very night." He looked into his son's face. "No expense shall be spared; our people deserve these festivities after years of war and death."

Niklaus contemplated the map before looking into his father's eyes. "Is the union with the East necessary?" He couldn't imagine Rebekah living in the East kingdom, away from her family.

"Rebekah is of an age to wed." The king filled their goblets with wine. "The East is a strong kingdom, an alliance with them will be beneficial. It shall bring a lot of wealth and prestige to our family."

"And a great military power," Niklaus added.

"One never knows when a strong allied army is needed."

Niklaus took the goblet his father offered and drank quietly. Everyone in the kingdom was tired of war but with so many enemies and ambitious families plotting against them, one could never be too careful. He understood why his father wanted to secure an alliance with the East. From a tactical point it was the perfect move to make but Niklaus felt bad for his sister. They were trading Rebekah for an army and that didn't sit well with him.

"You do not approve," Mikael knew his son well enough to know he was displeased with his plans.

"The princes from the East are barely holding their alliance together," Niklaus responded in a cautious voice. "I've heard rumors of jealousy, treachery, and murder." Not to mention the cruelty and brutality associated with one of the princes. He couldn't imagine Rebekah being married to any of them, the thought of sending her away-even to a kingdom that border theirs-made his heart ache. He loved his sister dearly and he knew how much his sister loved her family too. _How could he keep Rebekah safe if she was in a different kingdom? How could they guarantee that she would be treated well?_

"Rumors," the king dismissed his concerns. "What do you think the princes have heard about us in turn?"

"I'm sure they have heard plenty of things."

"You should not put too much value in what people whisper," Mikael advised. "There are all sorts of tales regarding our kind, and our family. If we were to put faith in all that is said, we would go mad."

"But one should always be cautious."

"Which is why I have invited all three of them," the king responded. "We shall see who the best candidate is and your sister will have an opportunity to get acquainted with them before any formal betrothal is made." He stared into his son's eyes, the same fierce blue as him. Out of all his children, Niklaus was the one who resembled him the most and it pleased the king greatly. "The marriages I have arranged have worked quite well," Mikael remarked. Finn and Sage got along well, despite their failure at producing heirs. Elijah was besotted with Katherine, and Niklaus seemed content with his witch wife. He had certainly done better than his wife in that regard. The king could barely contain his rage at the thought of his daughter's late husband. That had been the only time he had allowed Esther to have a say in their children's future. She would never get to decide their fate again, he would see to it. Mikael didn't want to think about Freya's late husband instead he focused on his son. "Or are you not pleased with your wife?" he challenged suddenly.

"I have no complains, father."

Mikael's eyes glinted and he stared at his son with open curiosity. "Why have you spared her then?"

Niklaus blinked, clearly caught by surprise but he recovered quickly and masked his features. "I don't understand what you mean father."

The king chuckled. "You haven't bedded her yet."

"You saw the sheets-"

"Your own blood on them."

Niklaus looked away, feeling like a child under this father's hard gaze.

"Everyone was still far too drunk to notice the difference but I'm no fool, boy."

Niklaus swallowed hard. No one had said anything. Everyone believed his marriage had been consummated on the night of the wedding. Trust his father to see through the ruse. _What could he say in his defense?_

"At first, I thought she wasn't as pure as her grandmother made her out to be, and that you wished to spare her the humiliation and save her reputation." She wouldn't be the first girl to lie about her maidenhead, plenty of noble girls pretended to be innocent when they were not. "But you have not bedded her at all. Why?" _Was the girl insolent enough to deny his son his rights?_

Niklaus looked directly into his eyes then, he knew better than to lie or evade the question. "I wish to know her better." It was the most honest response he could give the king.

"A marriage that is not consummated is not valid."

"In the eyes of the kingdom our marriage has been consummated," Nik responded.

"You need sons."

"And I will have them, when the time is right," Niklaus assured him. "I did not want to force my wife into anything she wasn't ready for," he defended his actions. "She's very young and I have no doubts she is a maid." He didn't want his father or anyone questioning his wife's virtue. In their world, a woman's reputation was everything.

"Girls far younger have been wedded and bedded," the King remarked. "She belongs to you now. You can do with her as you please."

"She's not an object," Niklaus snapped. "And since I'm going to spend the rest of my life with her, I wish to make things right. I don't want her to spend the rest of our lives together despising me."

Something flickered across the King's eyes.

Niklaus placed his goblet on the table and held his gaze unflinchingly. He respected his father but he had never been afraid to voice his opinions. He was one of the few people in the kingdom who could speak frankly to the king.

The king moved away from the table and headed towards the window. He breathed the fresh air and watched as the wind blasted through the trees while the rain created muddy puddles on the ground. The castle grounds were empty, everyone was taking shelter from the storm inside. "Even when you try to make things right, she might still end up despising you."

There was something in the way his father said it that had Niklaus contemplating him with something akin to sadness. "Are you speaking from experience father?" he couldn't help but wonder.

Had anyone else dared to say such words to the king, they would have found themselves on the receiving end of his wrath. Mikael turned around, a strange glint in his eyes as he contemplated his son. "Women are fickle, devious creatures who would happily murder their husbands in their sleep if given the chance. Never let a woman lead you by the cock," he hissed.

Niklaus frowned.

"Never let a pretty face and a tight cunt fool you," Mikael continued in a harsh voice. "A king should always think with this," he pointed to his head. "Not his heart or his cock."

Niklaus didn't reply, he chose to contemplate his father with sadness. _My marriage won't be like yours_ , he swore to himself. _Bonnie is not mother and I'm not you. We will be different._

* * *

After visiting Katherine and the baby, Bonnie made her way towards the opposite side of the castle, near the training yard. Because of the rain, all the training for the tournament was taking place inside the castle walls, in the long hall close to the armory. She hoped to find her husband there. She had not seen him since that morning and the echo of his kisses still lingered on her lips. Perhaps they could steal a few precious moments to themselves? She felt her cheeks turn hot at the thought. To be alone with him, to kiss him all day long, it was a sweet thought.

The doors to the armory were open and a group of people were gathered by the entrance.

"What's going on?" Bonnie questioned.

"The prince is fighting lord Salvatore," an elderly woman commented as she tried to get a better look.

 _Nik,_ Bonnie thought worriedly. She pushed through the crowd, her lady in waiting-Davina following her.

There were loud murmurs all around them, eager shouts, and plenty of cheers from the courtiers as they watched as their prince fought the handsome lord Salvatore. Much to Bonnie's relief, it wasn't her husband clashing his sword against the raven-haired lord but his younger brother, Kol. The two of them were engaged in quite the vicious struggle, their swords slamming hard against one another; the sound of steel clashing against steel send shivers down Bonnie's spine. Her eyes followed their movements with awe. She had never really seen Kol fight but he was really good, moving effortlessly from one side of the hall to the other and successfully defending and attacking his opponent.

"You can do it, Kol!" Rebekah was cheering her brother. On the opposite side, a worried Stefan Salvatore followed the two men with his eyes. He looked like he wanted to intervene but was holding himself back.

Bonnie found herself standing next to a very excited Henrik.

"Damon started it," Henrik told Bonnie as soon as he saw her. "He was making fun of me," he threw a dirty look in the direction of the lord. "Called me weak and pathetic and Kol ordered him to stop, they got into an argument and then they started fighting." He seemed fascinated by the fight but there was a hint of worry in his eyes. "They're both really good fighters." As much as he hated it, Henrik had to concede that Damon was holding his own against his brother.

 _Yes, they were._ Or at least it seemed that way to Bonnie. They were both agile, their movements almost a dance as they continued to trade blows. Everyone was enraptured by the display of power and agility. At one point, Kol had the advantage causing the young women inside the hall to swoon, he smirked and winked at a group of giggling ladies before groaning in pain when Damon managed to nip his left arm with the tip of his sword.

Bonnie gasped. Her stomach was in knots as she continued to follow their movements. While Kol recovered quickly and blocked all other attacks, Damon was attacking more viciously now, forcing him into a defensive position. Henrik's knuckles had turned white and Rebekah had stopped cheering her brother, biting her lip instead and glancing nervously around the room. She clearly wanted someone to stop the fight. Her eyes unintentionally settled on Stefan who took a step closer to the two wolves.

The electricity of the moment brought everything to a halt when Damon kicked Kol managed to slash his arm.

Bonnie watched horrified as blood soiled Kol's white shirt. He groaned and stumble back, clearly caught off guard by the surprise attack.

"You can't do that!" Henrik shouted angrily. He was more than ready to intervene but Bonnie grabbed his arm and held him back. She felt the air leave her lungs when she saw Kol stumble and fall to his knees. He was clearly out of breath and in pain.

"Kol!" Rebekah screamed.

Bonnie watched with horrified eyes as Damon brought his sword down.

"Damon don't!" Stefan rushed to their side.

"Stop him!" Henrik commanded a group of guards near the entrance.

"No!" Rebekah was running towards them but a young man stopped her.

"No princess, do not intervene," he said while holding her back.

Bonnie raised her hand without thinking, a spell at the tip of her lips.

A pale hand stopped Damon's swords.

Everyone froze.

For a couple of agonizing seconds no one said anything, no one even dared to breathe. No one saw the figure materializing in between Damon and Kol, no one sensed him at all but they all heard the menacing growl he let out.

Bonnie was the first one to find her legs and make her way towards the fighting pair.

Kol was on the ground, his eyes wide while he held his injured arm with one hand. He was still bleeding although he could feel his healing abilities kicking in.

Damon was momentary stunned before glaring at the intruder, the one who had stopped his attack with a single hand.

Niklaus gripped the blade of Damon's sword with his right hand, the sharp blade embedding itself into his flesh; blood was already pooling down on the stone floor. His eyes were two murderous pools of gold. He pulled the blade away from Damon's hands and threw it across the room. The loud clank echoing all around the silent hall.

Damon blinked, surprised by how easily he was disarmed. He recovered quickly and met the prince's eyes. Both werewolves regarded each other with what could only be described as pure hatred.

"How dare you-" Niklaus hissed.

"Prince Kol challenged him," Stefan came to his brother's defense.

"He didn't fight fair," Henrik was quick to point out.

Niklaus glanced at Kol who gave a slight nod.

"Remove him from my sight," Niklaus ordered Stefan. He was barely controlling his rage and if he kept looking at Damon's arrogant face, he was going to explode.

The younger Salvatore didn't need to be told twice, he grabbed his brother by the arm and led him away from the hall. The guards accompanied them while the courtiers parted like the sea as the two brothers walked out.

"What were you thinking?" Niklaus turned to his brother, clenching his bloody hand into a fist.

Bonnie had never seen him look so angry, her magic could feel the burning rage inside him.

"He started it," Kol muttered and stood up. He made a face when he felt a slight pain in his ribs. "The bastard didn't fight fair that's why he got the best of me." He glared in the direction of the door. "I almost had him."

"He should be thrown in the dungeons for this offense," Rebekah proclaimed.

"There is no offense if Kol challenged him first," Niklaus pointed out.

Kol's jaw clenched. "I had him," he told his brother. "I didn't need your help." He turned around and left the armory, feeling all the curious eyes on his back as he walked away.

"Kol!" Rebekah yelled after him. She shared a look with Nik.

"Go with him," Nik told her. Rebekah nodded and followed her brother. Nik knew Kol well enough to know that his younger brother felt embarrassed, Damon had nearly gotten the best of him and had he not intervened, he might had ended up with a sword in his belly. Kol's pride was hurt, he needed to cool off.

"The spectacle is over," Niklaus proclaimed in a loud voice. "Leave!"

The courtiers all scurried out of the hall.

Once they were all gone, Niklaus found himself face to face with his wife, there was a mixture of relief and worry in her face.

"You're bleeding," Bonnie glanced down at his bloodied hand, still clenched in a fist.

"I'm fine," Nik told his wife. He didn't want her to worry.

"That blade could have cut you through the bone." Bonnie grabbed his hand and inspected the wound but to her surprise, the cut had healed already. _Werewolves can heal fast,_ she recalled feeling relived that her husband hadn't sustained a greater injury. She traced her fingers over the now smooth skin of his palm, there was some left over blood but the gash had healed nicely. "It's all healed." Bonnie looked up and met his eyes.

"You seem surprised," Nik's lips twitched.

Bonnie shook her head. She wasn't used to the super healing abilities her husband possessed but she felt glad all the same.

Niklaus only smirked. Truth be told, he hadn't even felt much pain when he stopped the sword with his bare hand. He pulled his hand way from hers, not wanting to stain her with Damon's dirty blood. He suppressed another growl. The beast inside him wanted to tear Damon apart.

Bonnie watched him carefully, her magic easily picking up the anger inside him still.

"That was wicked, Nik!" Henrik contemplated his big brother with awe. "You stopped Damon's sword with one hand!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Did you see the look on his face?" he asked them. "I'm sure he pissed himself!"

Nik chuckled. Yes, there had definitely been a flash of fear in Damon's eyes although he tried to hide it well.

"I can't wait for you to humiliate him during the tourney," Henrik continued.

Bonnie however, didn't seem too happy at the thought of her husband fighting the Lord Salvatore. "You will face Lord Damon?"

"I will face many champions during the tourney," Nik told her.

Bonnie could only imagine how bloody that fight was going to be. She didn't want Nik getting hurt. "He's a really good fighter." Far better than she first imagined actually.

"Not as good as Nik," Henrik declared proudly.

"There is no need to worry love," Nik smirked. "I have every intention to win."

Their eyes met and held.

Nik was clearly confident in his abilities but Bonnie was worried still, Lord Damon did not fight fair. He was very dangerous and Nik needed to be careful.

Henrik continued to talk about the tournament, his excitement was contagious and slowly began to ease the tension crawling over Bonnie's body. She was going to need nerves of steel when the day of the tourney came. And if Lord Damon Salvatore knew what was good for him, he would fight fair.

* * *

"What were you thinking?" Stefan demanded angrily. "You could have hurt the prince."

"He was the one that challenged me!" Damon snapped angrily. He was walking fast down the corridor, scarring any servant that crossed his path. "Arrogant son of a whore," he mumbled under his breath. "I had him!"

"You could end up in the dungeons," Stefan tried to keep up with his brother. "If the king had seen you-"

"Kol challenged me!" Damon remarked. "I accepted the challenged, there is no crime in that."

"It wasn't a fair fight."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Don't be stupid."

"You kicked him," Stefan reminded him. "That was not fair."

"He's lucky his brother saved him, I had him." He stopped abruptly. "He wasn't in the hall," he muttered more to himself. "I didn't see him at all, did you?"

"What?" Stan was confused by the question.

"Niklaus," Damon said as they began walking down the stone steps. "He was not in the hall when Kol challenged me, I didn't see him at all…" he muttered. "He appeared out of nowhere." He should have been able to sense another wolf sneaking behind him. His senses should have alerted him to Niklaus's presence but they hadn't. The prince had materialized out of nowhere and stopped his sharp blade with a single hand. "My sword should have cut his hand in half." He balled his hands into fists. "I felt like I hit a rock," he confessed, still unable to believe the strength the other wolf possessed. "How is that possible?"

"You were concentrating on the fight," Stefan mumbled as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "No one saw him coming at all." He certainly hadn't.

"No matter," Damon decided. "I shall defeat him." He could not wait for the tourney and showcase his true strength against the princes. "I will humiliate all of them." His victory would be sweet, as sweet as he imagined _her lips_ to be. He smirked at his brother, dark blue eyes shinning maliciously. "I shall take a kiss from the witch princess as my reward," he proclaimed. "A sweet victory it shall be."

"Do you wish to die brother?" Only a fool would think of kissing the prince's wife.

Damon laughed. "There is no need to worry brother." He began walking once more. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

Stefan silently prayed to the wolf gods that the tournament would not end in a bloodbath.

* * *

Esther sat in front of the fire, hands on her lap, eyes lost in the flames. Ayana contemplated her with pity, she had not moved or said a word since she had arrived from the woods earlier that day. "And you are certain that this woman speaks the truth?"

Esther nodded. "She has never been wrong." The hag in the woods came highly recommended by many ladies who had benefited greatly from her help. "I never believed Finn would be the one-" she couldn't finish the sentence. It was too awful to think about. "What kind of punishment is this?" she questioned loudly. "Why have the wolf gods abandoned me?"

"Esther," Ayana moved closer and placed a hand on the queen's shoulder. "Finn is not your only son," she reminded her in a soft voice. "You have four others-"

"Finn must be king!" Esther snapped angrily.

Ayana pulled her hand away, startled by the wild look in the queen's face. "Esther-"

"He has to be king."

"The signs have always been there," Ayana looked into Esther's eyes. "Why must you keep fighting it?" she asked in a harsh voice.

"You know why," Esther spat and stood up. Her entire body shook by the anger she felt. "You of all people know my suffering," her voice broke. Her last hope now seemed like a terrible dream, so far out of reach. "You are the only one who knows why I love him the most." A mother should have no favorites but she did, she had tried, oh how she had tried to love her children with all her heart, but she had been unable to. As much as she cared and loved them in her own way, there was a part of her that could not help but resent them, because she saw _him_ in them. The usurper who had taken everything from her. The beast she had been forced to wed.

"A mother should love all her children equally."

Esther closed her eyes. "I tried," she sounded tired, almost defeated. "By the wolf gods, I tried but..."

Ayana contemplated her sadly.

"Finn was conceived with love," Esther whispered before she turned to the fire once more. The flames helped to hide the heat on her face as the memories she kept close to her heart surfaced. She clung to those brief happy days with all her strength. She always turned to those memories in her moments of despair. It was her solace. The only comfort she had in this cruel world she was forced to live in.

"Niklaus was born under the red moon."

The queen knew that. He had nearly killed her coming into the world.

"He's the true Alpha," Ayana stated.

"Niklaus like all the others, were conceived with hatred and disgust." Esther couldn't stop the shudder that ran through her body. The night Niklaus had been conceived in particular had been brutal, there was no other way to describe it. The bruises Mikael had left on her body had taken a long time to heal, even with her wolf abilities. He had truly been a beast that night. His seed taking root inside her like a poison. Nine moons later, his son had nearly tore her apart as he came into the world.

"Your children are not at fault, they should not pay for their father's sins."

"You don't understand-"

"That you hate your husband?" Ayana questioned. "That you have let that hatred poison your heart and blind you to the truth?"

"Be careful Ayana," Esther warned in a dangerously cold voice. "Do not forget your place."

"You are surrounded by enemies!" Ayana's voice rose, the years knowing each other, the secrets they shared, and the true affection and respect between both women allowed her to say what others wouldn't dared. "They will not rest until their own families claim the throne. It shouldn't matter to you if the heir is Finn, or Elijah, or Kol, or Niklaus. They are your flesh and blood, your sons, your heirs," Ayana insisted. She was pleading with Esther to see reason. "What matters is that _your son,_ _your line_ continues to rule this land."

"Mikael's bloodline, you mean!"

"Has your hatred of Mikael blinded you to the point where you will rather see your enemies on the throne and not your own children?"

"Of course not!" Esther crossed her arms over her chest, conflicting emotions showing on her face. With Ayana, she could let her guard down and speak honestly- as hard as it was to do so. She had spent thirty years living a lie, trapped in a forced marriage, slowly plotting her revenge. And just when she thought she was close to achieving a victory it was ripped away from her, just like her father and brother, just like her beloved. She felt broken all of a sudden. "I placed all my hopes in Finn," she whispered in an anguished voice. All her dreams, all her love and devotion had been to him. Finn was all hers, he had not been tainted by her retched husband. There was nothing of Mikael in him and for that Esther loved him best. "He's my firstborn, he's-" she clamped her mouth shut. _The son of the only man I have ever loved,_ Esther closed her eyes. It hurt. Thirty years later and the wound was still raw. "Finn is the only good thing I have in my life."

"You must accept the truth Esther," Ayana's voice was gentle as she spoke. "You cannot avoid it any longer, from the moment he was born you knew Niklaus was the true Alpha."

Esther closed her eyes. "It must be Finn," she insisted. She couldn't change how she felt. Out of all her children, she disliked Niklaus the most. He was too much like his father. Every time she looked at him, she saw Mikael and for that alone, she couldn't help but loathe him. "It must be Finn," Esther insisted. "I will see to it."

Ayana shook her head. "You are walking a dangerous path, Esther. And it will cost you," she warned.

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. See you next time!_


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** _I'm really sorry to keep you guys waiting so long for an update but this semester was rough, I didn't have much free time to write and it kinda hurt my inspiration too. Thankfully, I only have one more exam to go, yay! I can't wait to relax and get back into writing more regularly. I hope you're still interested and that you enjoy this chapter. Thank you so much for all your amazing support and good luck to all of you who are studying for finals!_

* * *

The welcoming feast for the princes of the East was everything Bonnie had imagined and more. The wine was flowing, the music was loud, and the lords and ladies mingled across the candle lit hall cheerfully. This was a joyous celebration for everyone. The king had been true to his word, no expense had been spared in welcoming the three princes from the East. He looked very pleased as he surveyed the guests with calculating blue eyes. The alliance had been his idea after all, he wanted everything to work out perfectly. The queen on the other hand, had a vacant expression on her face. Her mind seemed to be far away. It was a look she shared with her good daughter, Sage. Both women looked as if they preferred to be anywhere else but in the great hall celebrating the future alliance with the East.

Since their arrival that very morning, with a caravan of knights, servants, and wagons carrying all sorts of gifts for the royal family, the three princes from the East, Marcel, Julian, and Lorenzo had made an impression on the entire court. All gossip was concentrated on how handsome and charming they were, on how rich and powerful their land was, and bets were already in place to see who the princess would choose as a husband.

Rebekah shone like the kingdom's most precious jewel in her golden gown. She was beautiful and enchanting. Her smile was ever present and the blush on her cheeks as she danced with Prince Marcel was evident, even from afar. The dark-skinned wolf with a beaming smile and mischievous eyes had easily become the favorite of many at court not just the princess.

 _Prince Marcel is dashing…_

 _That smile…_

 _He's so gallant!_

Many ladies crowded together, giggling and whispering without decorum as they watched the couple dace. Many of them were definitely envious of the princess, for they would love to be married to a handsome prince like Marcel.

Rebekah was also smitten, hardly paying any attention to the other two princes as she glided across the dance floor in Marcel's strong arms. She, like most of the ladies at court had fallen under his spell.

Bonnie smiled as she watched the lovely couple. Prince Marcel whispered something in Rebekah's ear and she threw her head back, laughing. "She looks so happy." Gone was the apprehension Rebekah had felt at the prospect of an arranged marriage. She was enjoying the feast to the fullest and Bonnie felt happy for her.

Her husband frowned. Unlike the rest of the court, Nik had not liked any of the princes. He had found fault in all of them and had repeatedly voiced his complains to her throughout the night.

"You don't approve?" Bonnie questioned quietly. Nik and his brothers were very protective of Rebekah and neither of them were in a hurry for her to find a husband. Even Henrik who was usually sweet and amicable had spent a good part of the feast glaring at the princes. Not even Marcel had managed to impress him with his tales of his home and alleged fighting skills.

Before her husband could respond, a new voice joined them.

"Marcel as always doesn't waste any time."

Bonnie turned to Prince Julian, the oldest of the three princes and the most arrogant one in her opinion. He was handsome no doubt, with dirty blond hair, blue eyes, and full lips but there was a calculating coldness to him. Bonnie always felt a chill when she was near him and judging by the sneer in her husband's lips, Nik also disliked him the most out of the three.

"He certainly knows how to break a girl's heart," Julian continued in a causal tone.

"And just how many hearts has he broken?" Nik asked him curiously.

Julian's lips curled knowingly. "Far too many to count."

Bonnie didn't like Julian's smile or the glint in his eyes. He was enjoying spreading gossip about prince Marcel.

"He has three bastards already."

"What?" Bonnie gasped. She glanced at prince Marcel who continued to dance happily with Rebekah. This was something she had not anticipated. _Does Rebekah know?_ She wondered, suddenly worried for her sister. "He has three children?" no one had mentioned it. She shared a surprised look with Nik.

"Shocked the entire court when he decided to raise them under his roof," Julian took a sip of his wine, humming in approval as the rich liquid went down his throat. "Another of his lovers is the children's nursemaid." A malicious smirk formed on his lips. "He has more lovers than gold, that's for sure."

"Three bastards," Nik repeated, not sure what to make of the revelation. It was obvious to him that Julian was divulging the information so it would get to Rebekah's ears and damage whatever advantaged Prince Marcel had gained. Nik would have ensured that were the case but he could also see how much his sister liked the prince, he didn't want to hurt Rebekah's feelings. Her heart had suffered enough already.

"Why are you telling us this?" Bonnie questioned Prince Julian. There was a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. The more time she spent in his presence, the colder and more repulsed, she felt. _He's like a rotten fruit,_ she thought. He wore a mask but beneath the surface, she could sense how awful he truly was. Having magic definitely helped to determine who was being genuine with their words and actions.

Julian studied her, lips still curled into a smirk. "It's best if the king and his family are aware of Marcel's indiscretions," he responded in a sympathetic voice. He drank more wine before saying, "princess Rebekah deserves to know the truth before making a choice."

"Makes me wonder what kind of secrets you are hiding," Bonnie snapped.

Julian's tilted his head back, surprised by the remark. "We all have secrets," he acknowledged as he contemplated her in more detail. "Even you will have them one day, I'm sure."

His lingering eyes made Bonnie uncomfortable. Nik for his part, pulled her closer, resting a possessive hand on her lower back. "Nothing can stay hidden forever," he hissed at Julian.

"No, I suppose not." Julian inclined his head before walking away.

"I don't like him," Bonnie whispered.

"Neither do I," her husband agreed.

Both of them turned to watch Rebekah and Prince Marcel once more. They made a stunning couple and they were getting along splendidly however, Prince Julian's words lingered darkly in their minds. Bonnie hoped for Rebekah's sake that Prince Marcel would be honest with her, and be true and loyal to her if he were to be chosen as her husband. The last thing she wanted was for Rebekah to get hurt.

"She needs to know," Nik whispered more to himself.

Bonnie sighed.

Rebekah and Marcel continued to dance, oblivious to the storm forming around them.

In a dark corner of the hall, a brooding Lord followed the dancing couple, eyes filled with sadness and jealousy.

* * *

"Prince Lorenzo is the most boring of all princes," Kol muttered coming to stand next to his sister. He had spent the better part of the evening talking to the fellow and Kol found himself utterly unimpressed.

"Kol," Freya gave him a look.

"It's the truth."

"He lost his wife quite recently, you know." _And the child she had carried_ , or so Freya had heard. The court was filled with all sorts of tales regarding the three princes.

"Did he?" Kol was surprised to hear that, not that it made him more sympathetic to the Prince. His sister deserved to marry someone worthy of her hand not some dull stranger from the East. Lorenzo was dull, Julian was cold and arrogant and there was something about Marcel and his easy smiles that made Kol feel suspicious. None of them deserved to marry his sister.

"I don't think he wants to be here," Freya murmured as she stared at the prince in question, he was conversing quietly with her father. His dark eyes were really sad, he was still grieving the loss of his wife and child. _What a tragedy,_ the ladies of the court had whispered with sympathy. Freya knew that losing a child was a wound that could never fully heal. She debated whether to talk to him about it.

"Then he should go back to his castle and leave our sister alone."

"He has hardly even looked at Rebekah," Freya pointed out. The war for Rebekah's hand would be between Julian and Marcel, that was for sure. Her eyes suddenly landed on the tall, sad figure in the corner. Stefan had not taken his eyes away from Rebekah and Marcel. The jealousy he felt was clearly reflected on his face. _Will you finally fight for her?_ Freya wondered.

Kol easily spotted Rebekah, feeling nauseated by the adoring smile she was giving to her dance partner. "Marcel needs to keep his hands to himself," Kol muttered while staring at the hand Marcel had on Rebekah's lower back. This was their fourth or was it their fifth dance together? He glanced at Elijah-talking with Prince Julian before glancing at Nik who only seemed to have eyes for Bonnie. _It's up to me to do something,_ Kol thought walking away from Freya and heading towards the dancing couple.

"Kol," Freya grabbed his arm and attempted to dissuade him. "What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm going to dance with my sister."

"Kol, there is no need to-"

"Rebekah could do much better than him!"

"That's not for you to decide," Freya reminded him sharply.

"Who then?" Kol yanked his arm away from her grasp. "Father? Mother?" Before she could respond, he went on. "Mother didn't make a wise choice last time, did she?"

Freya went pale.

Kol winced, regretting his words immediately. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Don't," Freya cut him off, a carefully practiced mask in place. She closed off completely-like she always did when the subject came up, it was the only way to protect herself from the haunting memories.

"Freya-"

"Do what you wish," Freya snapped and turned to leave.

Kol watched her go sadly. He should have known better than to bring that up. He thought of following her but hesitated, knowing that Freya needed some time alone. He made his way towards Rebekah instead; he had been unable to save one sister from a cruel husband but he would do everything in his power to spare Rebekah the same fate.

* * *

"What is Kol doing?" Bonnie asked her husband when she saw her good brother arguing with Rebekah as soon as the dance had ended.

"Playing the role of the over protective older brother," Nik remarked with a smirk dancing across his lips. "And giving the nobles some entertainment," he muttered with slight annoyance. He would have happily done the same thing had Bonnie not stopped him.

Bonnie looked over her shoulder and saw the displeased look on the king's face. Murmurs had already spread across the hall and many curious eyes watched the exchange between the siblings. Elijah shook his head in disapproval while the queen's stoic face gave nothing away of her inner thoughts. She didn't really seem to care about anything as of late. Finally, Rebekah relented and allowed her brother to pull her into the dance floor. Prince Marcel did not lose his smile as he was quickly intercepted by a handful of ladies who wanted to dance with him. He was enjoying the attention.

"He has everyone under his spell."

"Are you going to tell Rebekah about…" she trailed off unsure.

"You think Julian only told us?" Nik gave her a knowing look. "I'm sure by tomorrow, everyone in the castle will know about Marcel's indiscretions."

Bonnie felt sorry for Rebekah, it was obvious she really liked Prince Marcel. _How would she take the news of his illegitimate children?_

"I think it's time I speak with him," Nik decided.

Bonnie grabbed his arm before he could walk away. "Nik..."

Nik took her hand in his. "I will behave," he promised while squeezing her fingers. "I will be a perfect gentleman." He placed a tender kiss on her knuckles. Bonnie smiled, feeling the heat spreading to her fingertips. Nik didn't move away instead, he leaned forward and captured her mouth in a tender kiss. Bonnie let out a little gasp against his lips and felt the heat spread all over her body. The kiss ended too soon however, Nik pulled away smirking and headed towards Marcel without another word.

Bonnie watched him go, cheeks aflame and heart beating like a bird against a cage. She blushed even harder when she noticed the giggling group of girls that had witnessed the kiss.

"I wish I was her," one of them murmured.

Bonnie smiled and began walking towards the long table with food and wine. Her throat was parched and her knees felt a bit weak too, she could use some refreshments. She practically bumped into a young couple who was rushing inside. They had arrived so late there was no one to announce them in. Bonnie recognized them immediately. "Lord and Lady Lockwood," she greeted with surprise.

"Princess," Lady Caroline bowed gracefully, a blush covering her cheeks. Her husband on the other hand, glared at Bonnie.

"The witch princess," Lord Tyler hissed. The disdain in his voice was evident and the sneer on his lips made Bonnie flinch. It was almost as if he were looking down at her.

Bonnie felt a chill down her spine, lord Tyler's eyes were dark and dangerous. She couldn't help but feel threatened and her magic reacted accordingly. Without meaning to, her magic pounced, easily detecting the dark emotions boiling inside him.

 _Anger, jealousy, hatred, treachery..._

She felt them like knifes stabbing her heart. Bonnie trembled slightly but she held her head high and looked into Tyler's eyes unflinchingly. The emotions coming from him were not directed at her specifically, there were simply there, barely hiding under the surface of his skin. He was a very angry man, one who's temper could not be tamed easily. Caroline squeezed her husband's arm, almost in warning. Bonnie decided to focus on her instead. She looked beautiful in her blue dress and draped in fine jewelry; she could definitely pass off as a princess.

 _Who was Lady Caroline?_

 _Was she the harlot everyone whispered about or the woman with good heart Nik considered a friend?_

"We apologize for arriving late," Caroline said with a nervous smile. "What a wonderful feast for the princes…"

Bonnie studied her face carefully, noticing how tense she looked despite her smile. She also kept glancing at her husband, fear and uncertainty showing through.

 _What are they hiding?_ Bonnie wondered, because they were hiding something, her magic could feel it. There was a moment, one wild moment in which she considered using her powers to get inside their heads and find out but invading someone's thoughts without their consent, violating their minds in such manner was something she had never done. It was abusing the power she possessed; her Grams had taught her better than that. She suppressed the urge and smiled gently at Caroline, trying to put her at ease. "Yes, it is." It was strange, she had felt jealous of Caroline from the moment she saw her dancing with Nik but now standing in front of her and seeing the almost panic she was trying to hide, it made Bonnie feel sorry.

"Which one of the princes will Rebekah chose?"

Caroline suppressed a little gasp while Bonnie's eyes narrowed in Tyler's direction. There was no respect in his voice when speaking about Rebekah, and his eyes continued to stare at Bonnie with animosity. _Who did this man think he was?_ Bonnie found him arrogant and unpleasant.

"That's for the _princess_ to decide," Bonnie responded calmly although she made sure to emphasize Rebekah's title. Whether Tyler liked it or not, Rebekah was royalty.

Tyler sneered. "Knowing her, she'll pick the rotten apple."

Bonnie glared at him and saw something flicker across his eyes as he looked past her shoulder. The anger she sensed coming from him intensified as did the jealousy.

"Tyler, Caroline," Nik greeted the couple as he came to stand beside Bonnie, gently placing his hand on her lower back. Bonnie immediately felt comforted by his presence.

Tyler growled.

Bonnie was taken back by the negative emotions coming from him, while Niklaus smirked knowingly. He had always enjoyed provoking Tyler, it was easy to do. Bonnie could almost feel the beast inside Tyler stirring at what he clearly considered a provocation. She clenched her jaw as she struggled to withstand the two powerful men's auras.

Lady Caroline looked nervously between the couple and her husband before attempting to ease some of the tension. "We should greet the king and queen," she suggested nervously. The wave of fear she felt made its way towards Bonnie.

"I hear you will be participating in the tournament," Tyler said, ignoring his wife's suggestion completely. There was an insolent look on his face and he even puffed his chest up.

"I am," Nik responded in an amused voice. "I suppose you will as well."

"I'm always ready for a good fight."

Their eyes locked and Bonnie could have sworn she saw Lady Caroline gulp. She looked fearfully between both men but when she noticed Bonnie's eyes on her, she averted her eyes quickly. The tension invading her body was palpable.

"I quite look forward to winning," Lord Tyler continued arrogantly.

Nik laughed at his words. "Your arrogance is equally matched by your stupidity Tyler."

Caroline closed her eyes and sighed.

Tyler growled and took a threatening step forward.

Nik grinned, baiting him was something he enjoyed immensely.

"Don't Tyler please," Caroline stepped in between them and so did Bonnie. She wasn't going to let Tyler hurt Nik. "We're making a scene," Caroline glanced nervously at the dozen or so nobles that were watching them like hawks. "Please don't start a fight," she begged.

Tyler ignored her and pushed forward.

Bonnie's skin prickled and her stomach turned with unease at the hateful look on Tyler's face. She stepped in front of Nik without thinking and placed a hand on Tyler's chest, pushing him back. An image came to her then, so powerful, so unexpected, she flinched and dropped her hand as if she had been burned. Her knees felt weak and if Nik hadn't placed his arms around her, she would have fallen to the ground from the force of it. She had not meant to get inside his head like that but clearly her magic had reacted to her desire to protect her husband and showed her Tyler's true intentions.

"Sweetheart," Nik placed an arm around her waist, steadying her. "What's wrong?" he felt concerned.

Bonnie leaned back against him, a look of pain on her face.

"Are you alright princess?" Caroline asked softly.

Tyler frowned, wondering what the hell was going on.

"I need air," Bonnie gasped, her entire body shaking.

Nik didn't need to be told twice, he got her out of there as quickly as possible.

* * *

After indulging Kol with one dance, Rebekah got away from him as quickly as possible. She was not in the mood to hear him complain about Marcel. A beaming smile graced Rebekah's lips as she made her way to the gardens thinking about the handsome prince she had spent most of the evening with. Prince Marcel was absolutely wonderful, he was everything a girl could want in a husband. The anxiety she had felt at the thought of being forced into a marriage with a stranger had been forgotten as she danced in his strong arms.

 _Being married to him will be wonderful, I think._

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she stopped in her tracks. A wave of sadness invaded her. She had imaged her wedding plenty of times, not with a charming wolf prince like Marcel but with a serious and thoughtful lord. She placed a hand against the wall and stared at the door that led to the gardens, a sudden sadness invading her. It was quickly followed by guilt. Rebekah balled one of her hands into a fist. _Stefan married another didn't he?_ Why should she feel guilty for finding Marcel charming? _Had Stefan even cared that she had spent the better part of the night dancing happily with another?_ She had glanced at him briefly enjoying the jealousy in his eyes before letting Marcel twirl her around the hall.

Footsteps sounded behind her.

Rebekah schooled her features, expecting to find her lady in waiting or another one of the servants but instead she came face to face with Stefan himself.

 _Had she unconsciously called him with her mind?_

Her treacherous heart skipped a bit and she hated herself for it.

The air was suddenly charged with electricity as they locked eyes.

"What do you want?" Rebekah demanded angrily. Anger was good, it gave her the strength not to make a fool of herself in his presence.

"Is it true?"

"What?"

"The talks about your marriage."

"Yes," Rebekah watched with satisfaction as a wounded look crossed his features. "I am to choose one of the princes as my husband." Since meeting Marcel the idea of an arrange marriage didn't seem so bad to her. Being confronted by Stefan however, made her feel uncertain about choosing the charming prince. _Could she come to care for Marcel in the same way she did Stefan?_ All the doubts and fears she had felt surfaced once more.

"Prince Marcel, I suppose." Stefan pinned her to the floor with an intense gaze.

Rebekah's blood stirred at the look he was giving her. She couldn't help but feel pleased by his jealousy. _Now, you know how I felt when you married another,_ she thought. "As a matter of fact-" whatever she planned to say next died on her lips as Stefan grabbed her around the waist and pinned her to the nearest wall. "What do you think you are doing!" Rebekah yelled as she tried to push him away. Butterflies took flight in her stomach and her cheeks were suddenly very hot. She glanced over his shoulder, worried that someone would see them. "Stefan-" if she were to be discovered in a dark corner of the castle with Stefan Salvatore her reputation would be ruined.

"We need to talk." Stefan placed his hands on either side of her, caging her with his body against the cold stone. Anyone walking towards the gardens would see them but he didn't seem to care. He was jealous and determined.

"No, we do not." And yet, she couldn't help but feel thrilled by this sudden turn of events.

"You never gave a chance to explain!"

"What is there to explain?" Rebekah screeched. "You married another!"

"You refused to run away with me!" Stefan reminded her.

"Don't you dare blame me!" Rebekah slapped his shoulders trying to push him away but it was in vain. The flush on her face intensified. "Your plan was reckless and stupid and would have gotten you killed."

"I waited for you at the cross inn," Stefan murmured angrily. "You never came, you avoided me-"

"I was trying to keep you safe, you idiot!" She stopped struggling then, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. "Father would have hunted you down and killed you, he promised as much if I didn't end things. I had a much better plan but before I could tell you everything you went and got yourself a wife!"

"Rebekah," Stefan whispered as he touched her face gently.

"You couldn't wait for me," Rebekah accused on the verge of tears. "You..." her entire body shook as she suppressed a sob. "Why..." she asked in a small voice.

Stefan pressed himself completely against her, heart pounding loudly just as hers was. "I was a fool," he whispered, voice filled with regret. "I should have fought harder. I should have-" he hated himself for caving to his father's wishes. "Father chose a wife for me. I went along with it and hated myself for it. I'm sorry, Bekah."

Rebekah's bottom lip trembled.

Stefan lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "I'm so sorry, my love."

 _My love_

Rebekah shivered and closed her eyes, her knees feeling weak. It had been so long since they had been this close, since she had felt his breath on her neck or felt his strong body pressed against hers. _Why?_ _Why was she so foolishly weak when it came to him?_

"I don't deserve you," Stefan told her with the uttermost sincerity. "I was a coward and I know very well I deserve your anger." He stared into her face, willing her to face him. "But we owe each other the truth Rebekah..." he pleaded with her. "Hear me out, that is all I ask...please..."

Rebekah didn't dare to look into his eyes. She couldn't. If she did, she would do something stupid.

"Bekah…" he traced her chin gently.

"Don't…" Rebekah protested weakly.

Stefan brought her face closer to his. "Please..."

Rebekah's breath caught in her throat when she realized just how close his lips were. She should have pushed him away, she should have slapped him and called the guards to throw him in the dungeon. She did no such thing of course, she was a fool when it came to him so she did the most foolish thing any girl could do. She grabbed his face and kissed him. Stefan was surprised but he responded immediately, kissing her back with all the longing he had felt since their relationship turned sour. They both surrendered themselves completely to the passion that had been consuming them both from the very beginning. Even after everything that had happened between them, they couldn't contain themselves. When Stefan deepened the kiss, he found no resistance from her. On the contrary, Rebekah wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him closer, melting against him. She forgot all her doubts, all her sorrows, and allowed herself a moment of reckless abandon. In Stefan's arms, she felt truly and utterly complete.

* * *

Bonnie braced her hands against the stone balcony and took deep gulps of air. She could feel Niklaus's eyes on her, the concern he felt easily detected by her magic. He had gotten them out of the hall and into the gardens as quick as lightning and for that she felt grateful.

"Are you alright?" Nik had a gentle hand on her arm. He was afraid that if he were to let go, she would sink to the ground.

"I'm better now," Bonnie murmured and opened her eyes. The cool night air was a welcome relief on her heated skin. "He hates you. Lord Tyler, he-"

"Of course, he does. They all do."

Bonnie took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. "Nik," she began, her throat feeling dry still. "He's plotting against you."

Nik did not look surprised by her words. "Half of the kingdom is plotting against us." It was nothing new to him.

"I saw-"

"You saw?" he questioned with an arch eyebrow.

"I didn't mean to," Bonnie said in a rush. "When I touched him, I only wanted to push him away from you…I wanted to protect you and..."

Nik smiled remembering the courageous way in which she had come to stand in front of him, as if Tyler actually stood a chance of hurting him. It was sweet of her though and he felt amazed by her bravery and desire to keep him safe. Another man might have felt offend that his wife felt the need to keep him safe but Nik felt fascinated as he always did when it came to her. His Bonnie was one of a kind and each new day, he felt thankful to his father for arranging their union. He couldn't imagine a better wife.

"I saw things…" Bonnie shivered and hugged herself.

"What kind of things?"

"Hooded figures meeting in secret, in a dungeon I think." Bonnie paused, trying to recall as much as she could from the vision. "The images came to my mind so fast, I couldn't really understand some of the things I saw, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Nik placed his hands on her hips, bringing their bodies closer together.

"You're not worried?"

"My family and I are well aware of the threat Tyler and others represent," Nik reminded her gently. "From the moment my father took the wolf throne he had to sleep with an eye open." The royal family were surrounded by enemies.

"I have never felt so much hatred, so much anger in someone," Bonnie confided. "It was all directed at you." She touched his face, her eyes wide and filled with worry.

Nik glanced away from her, a thoughtful look on his face. "I suppose he's jealous," he admitted before looking back into her face once more.

"Because of lady Caroline."

Nik shrugged. "He has never liked our friendship," he confided in her. "Many of Caroline's friends and acquaintances turned against her after the scandal."

"But not you." Bonnie watched him curiously, trying to pry with her magic if there were any romantic feelings on Nik's part towards the pretty blonde but she found none. Nik was concerned about Bonnie, angry at Tyler but the only feeling she could connect to Lady Caroline was _pity_. Nik felt sorry for her and so did Bonnie. She couldn't imagine being married to someone so angry and hateful as Tyler Lockwood.

"A woman's worth should not rely solely on her virtue."

Bonnie couldn't help but admire him for thinking like that.

"And Tyler's jealousy goes beyond that, he's an alpha and at such he will never get along with another alpha."

"Like Damon," Bonnie added. Nik could never be friends with any of them, not when they sought to take his father's crown.

"Exactly."

"They are your rivals for the throne."

Nik nodded. There were plenty of reasons for Tyler Lockwood to be jealous of him. The more substantial of them had nothing to do with his lady wife.

"She fears him," Bonnie admitted in a low voice. "Theirs is not a happy marriage is it?"

"I don't believe so." Nik held her close and looked into her eyes. "Few arranged marriages in this kingdom seem to have found true happiness."

Bonnie smiled then. "I think ours will definitely be one of those few." She inched closer, eyes drifting towards his lips.

"Indeed."

Nik smiled at her, one of those beautiful and unguarded smiles that she treasured dearly. He was so handsome and he had a way of stirring her blood, it was shameful how wanton she felt in his presence but she wouldn't have it any other way. When he kissed her, the fears melted away. Bonnie dreaded the tournament which was set to begin the next day, but as she lost herself in her husband's arms and heated mouth, she allowed herself to let go of that dread. Whatever Tyler or Damon or any other wolf were planning against Nik and his family, they would face it together, and Bonnie was going to do everything in her power to keep Nik safe.

The music from the hall carried outside with the wind, a soft echo that accompanied the heated exchange between the couple.

Bonnie was barely aware of the cold stone pressing against her back, all she could feel was Nik's body tightly pressed against her. His hand cupping her breast through the tight bodice of her red dress, his mouth hungrily descending down her chin and throat before settling on her generous bosom. His hands and mouth were everywhere and she felt feverish with each new caress. Her body was burning and she wanted nothing more than to rip her dress off so he could touch her bare skin. When one of his hands sneaked under the skirt of her dress, Bonnie let out a cry that she felt sure would be heard inside. Nik grinned against her neck, nibbling lightly on her soft flesh, fingers eagerly finding her most secret place.

"Nik..." Bonnie moaned and brought his mouth to hers, kissing him with with an endless need that threatened to swallow her whole. She trembled all over as she felt his hand touching her there.

He broke the kiss suddenly and looked into her eyes. "Let's go back to our chamber," he suggested huskily.

Bonnie's body felt like pudding, her knees could barely hold her in place and she felt out of breath but she was still coherent enough to formulate a response, "...Yes..."

Nik grinned wickedly and lifted her up in his arms. Bonnie gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck, legs holding on to him tightly around the waist. There was a gust of wind, her hair came undone, and a giggle escaped her lips as he carried her out of the gardens with incredible speed.


	9. Chapter 9

**The moment everyone has been waiting for, enjoy!**

* * *

Bonnie stood in front of the bed, nervous flutters in her stomach. Nik had carried her all the way to their chamber, moving with incredible speed through the castle corridors. Now here they were, standing in front of their bed like they had done the night of their wedding.

This time however, Bonnie felt no fear only a deep longing.

She shivered when she felt Nik nuzzling his face against the curve of her neck. He kissed her skin sweetly while his fingers worked on the laces of her dress which soon pooled at her feet. Bonnie closed her eyes, small tremors moving over her body while her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. His hands were gentle as they pushed her shift off her shoulders, leaving her completely nude before him. Bonnie's throat felt dry, she didn't dare to move, she didn't even dare to breathe.

Nik's hands traced her spine, causing goose bumps on her skin along the way. Bonnie's breath was uneven as he traced her shoulder blades before slowly grabbing both of her arms and turning her around to face him.

Bonnie's eyes were on the floor.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered and lifted her chin up. She smiled nervously, cheeks burning. "Don't be afraid."

"I'm not," she murmured. Her hands shook as she reached for him. "I'm nervous," she confessed.

"We don't have to-"

"I want to," she cut him off with a shy smile.

Nik smiled back and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Bonnie took a deep breath and began to slowly undress him. Nik helped her get rid of his shirt and stood still while she explored his naked chest with her fingertips. She was mesmerized by the texture of his body, he had the built of a warrior but no scars to prove it, werewolves bled but they healed quickly. His body was perfect in every way, strong, hard, and lean. He was beautiful. Bonnie took her time touching him with both of her hands, moving up and down, over his chest, and ribs and even daring lower towards his bellybutton. She felt him tremble and it made her realize that he was perhaps as nervous as she was, even if he didn't dare show it. When she fumbled with the rest of his clothes, Nik took charge, helping her undress him. They stood facing each other, completely naked, and hearts soaring. Once, with Lucy they had spied a group of boys taking a swim in the lake near their home but this was the first time she was actually seeing a naked man, for Nik was a man not a boy. "Sorry," she mumbled upon realizing that she had been staring at his manhood a little too long. Her face was burning from embarrassment.

Nik chuckled. "Don't be," he told her. "I'm all yours."

Bonnie looked up into his eyes and she could have sworn she saw a hint of gold reflected in his gaze. There was a low rumble coming from his chest too; it was the only warning she got before he pounced on her like a wolf would on his prey.

Nik grabbed her face with both of his hands and kissed her hard, lips bruising. Bonnie parted her lips instinctively and his tongue invaded her possessively. She pressed herself closer to him, a current of electricity invading her to the core when their naked flesh touched, goose bumps formed all over her body and her nipples hardened when he crushed her against his chest. She was a willing captive in his arms, enjoying the feel of their bodies pressed tightly together. Bonnie wrapped her arms around his neck, wishing to rub herself against him, to melt into him until they were one and the same. She never thought she would want someone like this. He stirred something wild, and wicked inside her.

They had to pull away after a while though, both of them breathless.

Nik still kept his arms around her, caging her against his hard body, while his mouth placed hungry kisses over her neck and collarbone. He couldn't seem to get enough of her.

Bonnie closed her eyes and moaned.

Nik kissed her again, gently this time. The need to claim her and mark her was pushed aside in favor of coaxing her desire which rose like waves. His hands began to explore her body lovingly, gentle touches and sweet kisses which had invisible hooks taking hold over her heart. He caressed her back, rubbing circles on her skin and allowing her body to release some of that nervous energy that engulfed her. He cupped her breasts and swallowed her cry with his lips as he rubbed her nipples with his thumbs. His mouth left a trail of fire against her neck and chest. Bonnie threw her head back when he rubbed his face between her aching breasts. "Please…" she begged. It hurt, but it was a pleasurable kind of pain that made her toes curl and caused a wetness between her legs. she wanted more, she needed more of his touches and kisses. She felt the ghost of his smile and his hot breath against her caramel flesh before he took one hard bud into his mouth. Bonnie moaned, knees nearly giving out. The jolt she felt when he licked one chocolate bud went all the way down to her toes. She would have fallen to the ground had Nik not been quick enough to keep her grounded.

Bonnie's heart pounded hard the entire time, heat pooling low in her belly. The uncontrollable urges he stirred in her were unlike anything she had ever experienced before. There was no shame, no fear, no doubts in her mind only a yearning that burned as brightly as the candles illuminating their chamber.

Nik got on his knees before her, mouth licking and sucking on her breasts like a starved babe. Bonnie moaned incoherently, holding on to his shoulders in order to keep her balance. She felt powerful, and unbidden. She had heard plenty of tales about the marriage bed, the things husband and wife did in private were as equally terrifying as they were mysterious and she never imagined that she would relinquish all propriety so easily. It felt wonderful to give in though, to lose herself so completely, and allow instinct to take over and guide her.

Nik picked her up and carried her towards the bed.

Bonnie meanwhile, peppered his neck and shoulder with kisses, while her hands touched every inch of skin she could find. He was perfect and he was all hers.

He laid her gently on the bed, eyes moving over her naked body hungrily.

It was a strange thing to feel so vulnerable yet, so powerful. She was completely bare to his gaze but the adoration, the desire she saw reflected in his eyes made her feel like a queen.

Nik kissed his way up her leg, placing tender kisses over her calf, knee, and thigh. She shivered when he parted her legs and nuzzled her inner thigh. "Nik…" she pulled his hair. The need burning her skin was unbearable.

"Easy sweetheart," his hot breath tickled her.

"I…" She desperately wanted something but she wasn't entirely sure what it was. She only knew that she wanted to keep pressing herself against him, and feel him, all of him.

 _What would her Grams think if she knew how wanton she felt?_

 _How completely unashamed she was of her desires?_

A knowing smile curled his lips.

Bonnie shrieked when Nik buried his face between her legs, all thought of her grandmother flying out of her mind. Her hands immediately grabbed the furs, twisting them with her fingers while anticipation filled her belly. She squeezing her eyes shut when she felt the very deliberately tip of his tongue against her. _Mother Goddess!_ She shook with the new sensations he evoked, no one ever told her that her husband would do that! Bonnie's entire body burned, the throbbing inside her growing with each lick of his tongue.

She slid her hands over his back, caressing the smooth and slightly damp flesh. "Nik…" his name fell from her lips like a prayer. She chanted his name again and again; each lick, each curl of his tongue driving her off a precarious edge. She felt like a mad woman, crying out his name while his mouth gave her his full attention. Anyone walking past their chamber could surely hear her cries but it did not matter to her. She would happily die from the pleasure her husband was giving her.

He took his time, savoring her, and sucking on that hidden pearl until her head flung back and she pushed herself against his face, forgetting all decorum. This was not how a lady, how a princess should behave but Bonnie was completely lost in the moment. She didn't care if it was right or wrong, all that mattered was Nik and the incredible pleasure he was giving her.

Nik's hands squeezed her bottom as he brought her closer, tongue moving in and out, delving deeper, until Bonnie's pleasure exploded. She screamed as that wonderful wave washed through her. Never in her life had she experienced something so incredible, so _divine_.

The candles flickered rapidly and the room vibrated with the swirls of her magic as she came undone.

The explosion of pleasure and magic mixed together and resonated around the room with a loud roar that had the bed shaking momentarily.

Nik pulled his head away from her when he felt the little jolts of power moving through her body. It was a fascinating thing to witness; male pride boomed in his chest when he saw her collapse, completely boneless against the furs, while a satisfied grin spread across her face. "You smell divine," he whispered and crawled over her body.

Bonnie's eyes snapped open, a happy smile on her lips. She whimpered when she felt her breasts rubbing against his chest, Nik groaned in response. He was hard as a rock. She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss, tasting herself on his lips. It was wicked and wonderful. He kissed her deeply. All the desire, all the longing he felt was poured into that kiss. It was hard and demanding but Bonnie didn't mind, she felt the same, and kissed him harder, equally matching his passion.

It was only the need for air that forced them apart.

Bonnie's body trembled when he rose above her and positioned himself between her legs. She felt excited, a bit scared, but above all she felt an immense adoration for this man. This stranger turned husband and friend and now lover. She touched his face and smiled sweetly up at him, wishing that she could find the words to express all that she felt, all that he made her feel.

"I know sweetheart," Nik murmured against her lips as if reading her mind. He kissed her again, a soft brush of lips that stirred the most beautiful feeling in her heart. It made her soar with happiness. She was overcome with so much emotion, she felt tears pricking at the corner of her eyes.

He slid inside her in one powerful thrust.

Bonnie cried out. There was a slight sting when he entered her, she sucked in a breath at the sudden fullness. Her hands clutched his shoulders, fingers digging painfully while he held still above her, allowing her time to adjust to his intrusion. A single tear slid down her cheek and she let out a shaky breath.

Nik buried his head against her neck, his body trembling while he kept his lust in check. He kissed her neck, her cheeks, her nose, and her lips, seeking to distract her from the pain. She was so hot, so tight, the primal urge to mate with her like a wolf was almost terrifying. It took every bit of self-control he possessed to keep the beast inside him locked up. She wasn't ready to be claimed like that, not yet. Tonight was about her, not him.

Bonnie's muscles slowly relaxed as they kissed. There was a small discomfort when Nik slowly began to move in and out of her but it was bearable. He braced himself on his elbows so he wouldn't crush her, groaning with each of his thrust. "You feel so good," he whispered huskily.

Bonnie gasped as he continued to push in and out of her; the pain wasn't as bad as she had thought. The desire she felt for her husband and the incredible sensations she experienced at being so connected to him easily turned the slight pain into pleasure. "Move with me, love." Nik guided her leg around his hip, allowing him to push deeper inside her. Bonnie moaned and clung to him, hands running over his back as he moved deeper and harder inside her. It felt wonderful.

Soon, they found a delicious rhythm.

They kissed, they touched, and they moved as one. Their bodies fitted perfectly together, they were made for each other.

Bonnie surrendered completely to him until their joining brought the most exquisite, heart stopping pleasure imaginable. She screamed and the candles around the chamber blew out with the wave of magic she released.

Nik growled when he felt her muscles clenching around him. He slammed himself harder and faster inside her, until he found his own pleasure. He let out a satisfied roar as he came undone, filling her with his seed. He collapsed on top of her, body sweaty and quaking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

He pulled out of her and rolled to the side, bringing her with him. Bonnie laid her head on his chest, nestling herself comfortably against his body while his hand caressed her back. They were both out of breath, hearts beating wildly, and bodies shaking uncontrollably.

When she finally regained enough composure, Bonnie traced his stomach with her fingertips and pressed light kisses against his chest. She let out a content sigh. "I never thought it would be like this," she whispered against his skin. She was trembling all over still.

Nik's arms tightened around her and he kissed the top of her head.

"Is it always like this?" Bonnie wondered. She wanted to stare into his bright blue eyes but she felt bone weary. She didn't think she could move, much less get out of bed. She nestled comfortably against him instead, body aching with pleasure, while a sleepy yawn made its way past her lips.

"No."

"No?" Bonnie tilted her head up and frowned.

Nik smiled and lowered his head, gently kissing her swollen lips. "It only gets better," he promised in a low murmur before kissing her more deeply.

Bonnie smiled against his lips, kissing him back passionately before settling against him once more. She felt incredibly happy. "Now we are truly husband and wife," she mumbled before placing a tender kiss over his heart. Her eyes felt as heavy as did her body, she suppressed another yawn.

"We are," Nik agreed and pulled the furs over their naked bodies.

"Nik," Bonnie whispered as she snuggled against him. "I don't think I have ever been this happy."

"Neither have I, sweetheart."

Bonnie smiled and closed her eyes, feeling safe and adored in his arms.

She truly felt like a wife now.

* * *

She awoke some time later, her body gently stirring with the soft press of his lips against the curve of her neck.

Bonnie smiled and unconsciously pressed her back against his front, enjoying the warmth he radiated.

Nik placed soft kisses over her neck, hands cupping her breasts, while his hard length pressed against her back. Bonnie turned around, mouth seeking his lips with eagerness.

They kissed deeply, their bodies molding together.

She came alive in his arms, arching up to welcome the weight of his body on top of hers, while their mouths and hands kissed and touched every inch of skin they could find.

They came together again in the darkness of their room.

The dying embers of the fire as the only witness to their urgent need they had for each other.

* * *

Nik claimed her once more as the sun began to rise over the kingdom.

He pulled her into his lap, their pleasured sighs and moans echoing around the room with each of their thrusts.

Bonnie marveled at the feel of him moving inside her. Each thrust of his hips, sending her closer and closer over that wonderful edge of pleasure.

 _How could she had ever been afraid of this? Of him?_

This was the most wonderful and exciting moment of her life.

They couldn't get enough of each other; the need to be together, to become one overwhelmed all their senses.

There was no holding back now; they gave themselves to each other completely.

Bonnie had never experienced anything like this before. Every touch, every kiss left an imprint on her skin. They moved perfectly together.

She had absolutely no shame in voicing her desires, in calling out his name like a prayer, and giving herself completely to their carnal needs.

They fell back on the bed, panting and trembling; bodies glistening with sweat.

Both of them were completely overwhelmed by the force of their mutual pleasure.

There was a beautiful sense of belonging between them. In each other's arms they found the happiness and the love they had always longed to know.

Bonnie traced his cheek and gazed into his eyes.

They smiled at each other and they kissed, slowly, and sweetly. She could spend the rest of her life like this, cocooned in the safety of his arms.

Soon enough the hunger returned, the kiss grew deeper, more desperate, and their hands began to explore once more. Now that they had given free reign to their desires, there was no holding back. They gave and they took.

Their bodies shifted until they were joined once more.

Bonnie's eyes went wide when he rolled her on top of him, guiding her hips with his hands, urging her to move.

He groaned when she shifted and adjusted on top of him. While she was new to this, instinct took over. Bonnie threw her head back, chest rising and falling with each breath, her breasts bouncing to his delighted eyes. She cried out when he sat up, changing the angle of his thrusts. He was buried so deep inside her, it almost hurt; the good kind of hurt though. She never wanted this to end, she never wanted to leave this bed ever again.

 _Was it possible to die from so much pleasure?_ She wondered vaguely.

Another cry was torn from her throat when he took one breast into his mouth, sucking greedily. She clung to him, hands twisting on his hair, and pulling him closer.

They found their release together, an earth-shattering sensation that took their breaths away and had them trembling all over.

Bonnie sobbed and bit his shoulder as wave after wave burst through her.

Nik stiffened and buried his head against her neck while he emptied himself inside her once more.

Long after, they stayed holding each other, basking in the morning light.

* * *

There was a nervous energy in the air, one that matched the nervous tremors invading Rebekah's body. The early rays of the sun shone over the grounds and many people were already making their way towards the different tents around the gardens. Common folk and nobles alike had stayed late the night before to celebrate the arrival of the princes but had woken up early that morning to get ready to participate in the tournament. Everyone was looking forward to the jousting and the fighting between the kingdom's greater warriors; bets were already in place on who the champion would be in the end.

Rebekah had not slept at all the previous night but one could hardly see it reflected in her face, she looked as beautiful as a rose in full bloom. She could hardly keep up with Henrik though as they made their way towards the champions' tents. Her brother had woken up before dawn and had dragged her towards the field with an eagerness that made her chest bloom with pride. Her little brother's desire to prove himself a worthy champion was endearing and she was honestly looking forward to seeing him fight and hopefully, win.

"Hurry Rebekah," Henrik bumped into people as he rushed to his destination.

Rebekah trailed behind him, her mind drifting to a certain handsome and brooding lord.

"I wish I could participate in the jousting," Henrik complained as he saw the knights getting ready. He looked at them with envy.

"You're too young for that." Henrik was to fight with champions of his age, boys in the cusp of manhood; jousting was for the trained knights of the kingdoms who desired to prove their noble valor. "And Father doesn't like jousting," Rebekah continued in a dismissive voice. "If you want to impress him, the sword is your best chance."

Henrik stuck his tongue out at her.

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "If you keep that up, I won't give you my favour," she snapped, dangling her left arm and showing him the pretty silk ribbon around her wrist.

"Aren't you going to give it to Stefan?"

Rebekah's entire face turned bright red. "I…what…" her heart nearly dropped to her stomach. _Surely, Henrik was not aware of the way she had gotten carried away with Stefan Salvatore the previous night?_

"Don't you fancy him anymore?" Henrik questioned, brows furrowing in confusion.

Rebekah closed her eyes and let a breath of relief.

"Fancy who?" Marcel's cheerful voice made her jump. Rebekah spun around to face him, face red, and heart beating like a bird against a cage. The handsome prince watched her curiously while waiting for a reply.

"No one," Rebekah found her voice quickly. She wished she felt ashamed of her behavior the previous night but even as she looked into Marcel's dark eyes, she still felt the ghost of Stefan's lips on her skin, and his hands- _by the wolf gods! What had she gotten herself into?_ "Will you be participating in the joust?" she asked him with a warm smile, hoping to distract him from inquiring more.

"No," Marcel laughed. "No offense to the people who do participate but I prefer a much more stimulating challenge?"

The heated look he gave her, had the redness on her cheeks growing and spreading down to her neck and chest. "The sword then." Rebekah cleared her throat, her dress feeling a little too tight. She was very aware of the attraction the wolf prince felt towards her and she wasn't completely indifferent to him either. Prince Marcel was _very_ charming. The ghost of Stefan's lips on her skin made her shiver. _What would Prince Marcel think of her if he knew what she had done the night before? And her family-_ Rebekah shook those thoughts out of her head.

"Of course," Marcel took a step closer to her. "What other way to prove myself to you than by becoming the champion of this tournament."

Henrik snorted. "You won't make it pass the first round."

"Henrik!" Rebekah chided.

Marcel arched an eyebrow. "You haven't seen me fight, young prince. You would be wise not to dismiss me so easily."

"He meant no offense-" Rebekah tried to apologize.

"I meant every offense," Henrik interrupted with a scowl. "I don't need to see you fight to know my brothers are better than everyone else," he stated arrogantly. "Even you." He crossed his arms over his chest. "You won't win this tournament," he declared. "And you will certainly not win my sister's hand."

Marcel laughed. He felt amused by the boy's arrogance and open dislike towards him.

Henrik growled, feeling like the prince was mocking him.

Rebekah glared at her younger brother, their father would be displeased by his behavior. "Forgive him, he's just-"

"Proving that the Mikaelson arrogance knows no limits," a smirking Damon Salvatore joined them.

Rebekah wanted to scream. Damon had a habit of showing up at the most inopportune moment. She looked up at the sky and prayed for patience, she didn't want to entertain Stefan's brother or let Henrik fall into his provocations.

Henrik growled at Damon who continued to smirk.

"You need to get ready," Rebekah grabbed Henrik's arm and dragged him away from Damon and Marcel. She did not want to give Damon the chance to ruin their morning.

Marcel watched them go with a frown on his face.

"I don't believe we had the chance to speak at the feast," Damon's voice got his attention. "The rumor this morning is that you are the princess' favorite."

Marcel smirked, feeling pleased. "I suppose, I am."

Damon's eyes glinted maliciously. "You've mend Rebekah's broken heart then?"

"Broken heart?" Marcel questioned curiously.

"Don't you know?" Damon grinned. "She was madly in love with my brother."

That was certainly not what Marcel expected to hear.

* * *

Bonnie sighed contently and rested her head against Nik's chest. She had woken up to find that he had prepared a bath for them, a string of soft white petals from her favorite flower leading the way from their bed to the bath chamber. The scented water felt wonderful on her aching body and the feel of Nik's strong arms around her made everything absolutely perfect. "We should stay here all day," she muttered. She knew it was impossible to stay secluded all day in the safety of their chamber but that didn't stop her from wishing it.

"The water is getting cold," he mumbled against the crook of her neck.

Steam suddenly rose over their faces as her magic heated the water once more. Nik gasped upon feeling the little tremors of power slithering across her skin. He shivered as it glided across him too. Bonnie giggled.

"I don't think I will ever get used to that," he murmured, while nibbling on her earlobe.

"Magic is in my blood," Bonnie's face grew warm, remembering the little outbursts of power she had displayed the night before while they had been intimate. "It reacts to my emotions," she chewed on her bottom lip. "You make me feel things that I never…" she paused. "My magic responds to your touch, to the feel of you…" his arms tightened around her waist. "Does it scare you?"

"No," Nik whispered. "It fascinates me."

Bonnie smiled.

"I do enjoy knowing having a witch for a wife," he kissed her neck, sucking lazily on her pulse point which jumped at the feel of his lips.

Bonnie moaned and tilted her head back, arching up against him, and doing her best to give him more access to her flesh. "Nik…" she let out a mewling sound when he cupped her breasts with his hands, teasing her nipples with his thumbs. "Please..." she hissed and turned her face to the side, seeking his lips. Even after everything they had done the night before and earlier that morning, she couldn't get enough of him. She wanted more, always more of his lips and his hands; his touch made her feel alive.

Nik cupped her cheek with one hand, deepening the kiss while his other hand moved lower, tracing her belly and even lower still, until he found the heat between her legs. "Oh," Bonnie murmured shakily as he guided his fingers against her center, teasing her lightly. She whimpered and bit her lip. Nik groaned and applied more pressure before finding her lips once more. He swallowed her cry as he slipped a finger inside her. She trembled in his arms but welcomed his touch eagerly; water splashed to the floor as he continued to stimulate her.

The heat from the water, the scent of the wax candles penetrating the air, and the sensual caress of his fingers had the pressure building quickly.

Bonnie squeezed her eyes shut, feeling as if every bone in her body was about to break. "Nik…Nik…" his name was a chant on her lips, her body instinctively arching against his fingers, seeking that delicious release only he could bring.

Bonnie screamed his name as she finally found it.

She was lost in a sea of pleasure, shuddering with bliss until his harsh groan brought everything into focus once more. When she opened her eyes, she found herself on their bed once more, Nik hovering over her.

"What have you done to me?" He asked tracing her cheek tenderly with his fingertips. "Is this some sort of spell?" he wondered. "I feel like I have been bewitched."

"No," she promised. This overwhelming need to be together and which made them burn from the inside out was real. "It feels like a dream, doesn't it?"

Nik nodded.

Bonnie placed her hand on top of his and kissed the inside of his palm. Nik lowered his head against hers, sliding his body over her. Bonnie welcomed him between her legs, hands moving over his shoulders and arms, while she gazed up at him adoringly. Their noses bumped, their lips met again, and they became one.

It was a dream neither of them wished to wake up from.

* * *

Common folk and nobles alike bowed and made way for the king and his retinue. The king nodded in their direction and waved at a few cheering groups before stepping inside the champions' tent.

"Father!" An excited Henrik rushed to his side.

Mikael's face softened upon seeing his youngest son. "Are you ready?"

Henrik nodded eagerly. "I was the first one here," he declared proudly.

"Did you even sleep at all?" Elijah asked as he joined them inside the tent.

There was a mischievous look on Henrik's face. "I woke Rebekah at dawn so we could be the firsts ones on the field," he confessed. "I was going to ask mother but…" he shrugged and a shadow crossed over his features. The slight twinge of hope inside him flew away like a leaf against the wind. His mother had not bothered to come and see him before the tournament. She had not even wished him good luck.

A cold mask of indifference fell over the king's face at the mention of his wife. "And where is your sister?" he asked, changing the subject with expert ease.

"She's probably waiting for the joust to begin," Henrik responded. "Have you seen Nik?" he asked in turn. "He and Kol have not come at all." He looked over his father's shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of Nik. He had stayed inside the tent to wait for his brothers and to spy the competition of course. "All the other champions are getting ready."

"I'm sure he will be here soon," the king responded.

"There is time still," Elijah agreed.

"As for Kol," the king continued. "He got quite drunk last night. He's probably still asleep." He nodded towards one of the knights at the entrance of the tent. "Send someone to fetch him," he ordered. His son should have known better than to get drunk the night before he was to fight in the tourney.

"Marcel is going to participate, did you know?" Henrik told him. "He wants to impress Rebekah," he rolled his eyes.

"Prince Marcel is said to be an exceptional fighter," Elijah commented.

"I don't like him, he's too arrogant," Henrik muttered. "You are not really going to let Rebekah marry him, are you?" He had heard the rumors and he did not like the idea of his sister marrying any of the princes. The thought of Rebekah leaving them scared him.

"Your sister of an age to wed," the king replied diplomatically. "She will make a fine match with any of the princes."

"But you can't send her away."

"Henrik-" Elijah gave him a warning look.

"Her place is here with us," Henrik insisted. He was too stubborn for his own good sometimes and unlike his older siblings, he never hesitated to speak his mind in front of his father.

"That's not a decision for you to make, boy."

Henrik's face fell.

"The jousting is about to start, then we shall move to the fighting pit to watch you and the rest of the champions fight," the king squeezed his shoulders. "Make me proud."

"I will," Henrik promised with a grin. The excitement of the tournament winning over his fear of losing his sister. "Nik has trained me well."

"Yes," the king agreed. "He has." He smiled and gave Henrik's shoulder a slight squeeze. "Good luck," he muttered before making his way out of the tent.

Henrik turned to Elijah. "Who do you think you will fight first?"

"I'm not sure," his brother replied as he began to get ready. The young wolves like Henrik would fight first, then the adult wolves would take the pit, each getting an opponent from the list. Elijah knew he wouldn't be facing any big challengers on the first round, so he wasn't particularly concerned about his first opponent. The first fight was always the easiest one.

"When will Nik get here?" Henrik asked him while peeking outside the tent.

"I'm surprised he wasn't the first one here with you," Elijah said while his squire brought him his sword.

"I wanted to be ahead of everyone," Henrik replied with a grin. "Do you think I should go look for Nik?"

"I'm sure he will be here soon," Elijah replied while he finished getting dressed. "There is plenty of time left before the fighting begins."

* * *

Inside another tent, Lord Tyler Lockwood finished getting ready. He could hear the cheers from the crowd as the jousting began. He fixed his leather clothes and rubbed his wrist, anticipation filling his belly.

A young man, no older than ten and six entered the tent.

"What do you think of my competition?" Tyler asked his squire.

"Prince Marcel seems like a formidable opponent, sire." The boy moved to grab his lord's sword. "Prince Elijah is getting ready at the moment; Lord Damon got ready a while ago and is trying to seduce the butcher's daughter right under her father's eyes."

"No surprise there," Tyler muttered with disdain. "What of Niklaus?" he asked. "Have you seen him yet?"

"No one has seen him, sire."

"He's not with his brothers?"

"Neither him or prince Kol have made their way to the tents yet."

"He will be the last one to arrive just to draw more attention from the crowd," Tyler hissed angrily. He could already picture the swooning ladies trailing after the arrogant prince. "He does love to make an entrance."

His squire pulled a small crystal bottle from his pocket, the bluish liquid swirled.

"Not yet," Tyler hissed and snatched the bottle from the boy's fingers.

"Forgive me sire, I thought you said we had to rub it on the blade."

"And we will," Tyler confirmed. "But not yet, not for the first round." The first round of fighting was always the easiest one. Tyler, Damon, Klaus, and Elijah would never face each other on the first round, no they would face unimportant wolves who didn't have a chance to make it to the end. "This is for a special fight," he reminded the boy. "We must save this for the king's sons." His dark eyes glinted and his lips curled into an evil smirk. Kol, Elijah, or Klaus, whomever he had to face in the later rounds of the tournament would fall victim to the deathly liquid he was holding.

His squired grinned too. His father had been the one to acquire the poison in the first place, and both father and son were looking forward to seeing its effect. "What a better way to celebrate the king's nameday than by taking away one of his heirs," the boy agreed.

Tyler smiled. "Indeed." He eyed the blue liquid and prayed to the wolf gods for one thing only...

 _Let my opponent be Niklaus…_

 _Let him die by my sword._


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N** _: I'm so sorry for the long wait, school is kicking my butt and with finals around the corner, I have my plate full but I did manage to squeeze some writing here and there. I hope you like this chapter and as always, I'm deeply thankful for all your support._

* * *

When Bonnie finally made it to fighting pit, her cheeks were tinted red and she felt out of breath. She had hurried down the halls of the castle and towards the grounds hoping to arrive on time. The family was already at the royal box and Bonnie could feel all of their eyes-and the eyes of the crowd- on her as she hastily walked towards her seat.

She curtsied to the king and queen.

"You're late," the queen's icy voice made her jump.

Bonnie didn't understand what she had done for queen Esther to always look at her as if she were beneath her. "My apologies, your grace." She glanced at the king, hoping that he wouldn't be too displeased by her late arrival. Thankfully, he didn't seem to be angry by her tardiness.

"The whole family was supposed to arrive together," the queen snapped, green eyes slithering over Bonnie like snakes ready to bite.

She moved her eyes over the royal box, realizing that there some very important family members missing. "Katherine and the girls are not here yet," Bonnie snapped back.

"How dare you speak to the queen like that?" Finn glared at her.

Bonnie glared back. "I was just making an observation."

"Watch your tone," Esther hissed.

"You should watch your tone with me," Bonnie fired back.

Rebekah gasped.

Sage arched an eyebrow while her husband looked ready to leap from his seat and attack Bonnie.

"Finn," Freya gave him a warning look.

Ayana who sat behind the king and queen suppressed a smile, using her handkerchief as cover.

Esther's eyes narrowed dangerously and a snarl escaped her lips, anyone else would have taken a step back and apologize but Bonnie raised her chin and stood before her with a defiant look.

Esther opened her mouth but was quickly interrupted by her husband.

"Take a seat girl." King Mikael looked rather amused by Bonnie's open defiance towards Esther. "Henrik is next."

Esther turned to him indignantly. "You are going to let such disrespect from her-"

"You disrespect yourself," Mikael remarked. "And I will hear no more of this." He gave her a look before turning to Bonnie once more. "Take a seat."

Bonnie breathed a sigh of relief and promptly sat next to Rebekah who still couldn't believe Bonnie had spoken to her mother that way. There was a part of her that envied Bonnie's courage.

Bonnie smiled nervously. She could feel the queen's angry glare on the back of her neck but luckily, she made no further attempts to antagonize her.

"Where were you?" Rebekah asked curiously.

"I woke late," Bonnie murmured.

Rebekah's lips curled. "So did Nik, I suppose."

Bonnie blushed and looked down, heart skipping a beat at the heated memories that assaulted her brain.

"Is he at the champions' tent now?"

Bonnie nodded. She still wasn't sure how they made it out of their bed; if it had been up to them, they would have stayed in each other's arms for the rest of the day. The blush on her face intensified. The ghost of Nik's lips still lingered on her skin, as did his sensual caresses; the passion they had shared had been beyond anything she could have ever anticipated. They were truly husband and wife now and Bonnie couldn't be happier. She couldn't stop smiling and wishing for the sun to set so she could be with her husband again.

A sudden strange sensation on the back of her neck had her turning away from the two young champions making their way inside the pit, Bonnie was startled to find Sage watching her. She couldn't quite describe the look on her face and Sage was quick to look away.

"There is Henrik!" Rebekah exclaimed excitedly.

Bonnie smiled as the young prince waved to the crowd. They cheered for him in turn.

Henrik and his opponent circled each other, trading light blows with their swords.

They were clearly apprising each other.

"They're both nervous," Bonnie noticed. _How could they not be?_ The boy facing Henrik wanted to prove his worth but he was also facing the King's youngest son, that was quite a burden and Henrik, as eager as he was to showcase his skill, was being cautious. He was a smart boy. Bonnie glanced at the king, his face was completely devoid of any emotion, sitting still as a statue, but his eyes followed each of Henrik's movements. Underneath his mask of composure, there was pride for his son.

There was a loud gasp from the crowd.

Bonnie turned just in time to see Henrik falling backwards. Rebekah grabbed her arm nervously, nails digging painfully through the velvet sleeve of her dress. Henrik rolled to the side and pulled himself to his feet, stopping his opponent's attack with his sword. The sound of the metal clashing forcibly against each other echoed throughout the pit. Both boys gained confidence and proceeded to attack each other more fiercely. Henrik quickly took the advantage, forcing his opponent back.

Rebekah cheered and clapped loudly; even the king couldn't hide a proud smirk.

In a surprising agile move, Henrik disarmed his opponent, and pointed his sword right at his throat.

The entire pit erupted in happiness.

"Yes!" Bonnie and Rebekah stood up and happily joined the hundredths of people chanting the young prince's name.

"Henrik!"

"Henrik!"

Henrik's face was covered in sweat and mud but the beaming smile on his face was unmistakable. He had won his first fight and with a happy wave to the crowd and a kiss in his sister's and Bonnie's direction, he retreated back to the champion's tent where his brothers were waiting to congratulate him.

* * *

Katherine lifted her skirt and avoided a mud puddle. She was almost running towards the fighting pit, her ladies struggling to keep up with her.

"You should have stayed inside, princess."

"Nonsense." Just because she had recently given birth didn't mean she planned to stay confined in her room. She had healed nicely from the birth, not only because of her werewolf abilities but also because of the tonics Bonnie had provided for her. She had no intention of missing Elijah's fight. "Come along, girls." She guided her daughters towards the pit and bumped into someone.

Katherine froze.

A tall, bulky stranger covered in a black cloak stood in front of her. The look on his eyes was unlike anything she had ever seen before but it was the ugly scar covering the right half of his face that had her recoiling.

"Mama!" Ilia cried.

Katherine made sure her daughters were okay before glaring at the person in front of her. The hooded figure walked away without a single word. "How dare you-" her words were drowned by the late crowd making their way to the pit and the wind, all she was able to see was the retreating black cloaks. She had not realized he was accompanied by other people. She counted at least seven of them, all wearing long black cloaks. Her spine tingled.

"Clearly that man had no idea who you are," one of her ladies commented with a frown. "Where are they heading to?" she wondered. "The tourney has just started."

Katherine tried to follow the cloaked figures but they were already gone.

"Mama, we're going to be late." Miraa tugged at her hand. "I want to see papa fight."

"Yes, sweetling." Katherine picked up her pace and led them to the royal box, were their family was already waiting. She wasn't going to be able to stay for long as she had to feed her baby but she would stay long enough to see her husband fight and hopefully win.

Even as she took a seat near Rebekah and Bonnie, she still thought about the cloaked figures. There was a strange feeling in her belly as she remembered the rough looking man with the hideous scar, Katherine shivered.

"Papa!" Ilia exclaimed, her eyes shinning with excitement.

Katherine stood up and cheered along with her girls, pushing aside any ill feelings.

* * *

After Elijah's easy victory against Lord Cerwyn, it was Niklaus's turn to fight.

His body felt as if it were on fire.

From the moment he stepped into the pit, he was filled with incredible energy.

The crowd roared and excitedly chanted his name.

"Niklaus!"

"Niklaus!"

But he focused on the beautiful green eyes and soft smile on his wife's face. He swung his sword without preamble and quickly forced his opponent into a defensive stance. The wolf in front of him was afraid, Nik could see it in his eyes and smell it on his skin. He was more a boy than a man; under different circumstances Nik would have felt pity for him but this was no battlefield, this was a competition, one he had every intention of winning.

Nik had been a small boy when his father gifted him with a wooden sword but since that moment, he had trained to become the best. The king himself had spent countless afternoons teaching him, showing him how to move, how to think, how to succeed. Fighting was second nature to him now. He felt thrilled every time he saw his opponent's eyes widen in fear, every time he forced him to retreat or anticipated his attacks.

From the sidelines, he could hear Henrik's cheers and feel Elijah's and Kol's watchful eyes. There were other champions watching him too, assessing his skills in case they had to face him in the next round. It didn't bother him; he wasn't revealing anything his opponents didn't know already. He glanced briefly at his father, saw the smirk on his face before catching a glance of his sister and his wife; both were beaming with joy.

His opponent fell to his knees.

The first of many.

With each victory, he lifted his sword in the air and smiled, much to the adoring crowd that continued to chant his name. He was the favorite, there was no doubt.

His eyes fell on a single figure though, _his Bonnie_ who stood clapping and smiling proudly. He smiled and nodded in her direction before going back inside the champion's tent.

From the opposite side, Tyler watched him with murderous eyes.

* * *

Once inside the tent, Niklaus ripped the leather off his body and grabbed a cloth to wipe his face. He was covered in mud, sweat, and blood from his opponents. He rubbed the cloth over his neck and chest, wiping all the dirt off; adrenaline still pumping his veins. The beast inside him, craved _blood_. If only the champions were allowed to fight in their wolf form. They had done so in ancient times but after many unnecessary losses, the practice had been forbidden by his grandfather. His lips curled into a smirk. He had not turned since his before his wedding but perhaps he could convince his brothers to go hunting soon. They had not done that in a while.

 _What would his wife think if she were to see him in his wolf form?_

Thinking of Bonnie had his blood turning to liquid fire. He wanted her. The desire and the need he felt for her was unlike anything he had ever known before. She had bewitched him.

His heightened senses alerted him to a presence outside his tent.

Niklaus expected one of his brothers, his wife perhaps, but it was his brother's wife who stepped inside the tent.

"Sage," Niklaus greeted her a frown. _Why was she here?_

Sage smiled at him and looked him up and down without any shame. "Your victory was well earned." She was no blushing maid as she allowed her eyes to linger on his chest and arms. She even licked her lips.

Niklaus watched her warily. He was no stranger to lustful gazes; he had certainly reveled in the female attention he had received since his youth.

This felt different.

"Forgive me," Sage gave him a coy smile and adverted her eyes.

"What do you want?" his tone was harsh; he was in no mood for pretenses. He and Sage had never been particularly close, she was cold and aloof, and had hardly paid him any mind in the winters since her marriage to Finn.

The smile dropped from Sage's face, there was a slight hint of anger, and even disappointment in her eyes but she masked them well. "Your strength is unrivaled." She walked towards him, hips swaying sensually. "You will without a doubt be the champion." She came to stand really close to him, to the point where they were almost breathing the same air. Her eyes glinted and she bit her lip.

Nik's face was completely devoid of emotion while he watched her. He almost felt pity for her. Her pathetic attempts at seduction were obvious. He could see an inexperience idiot like Finn falling for it but she had another thing coming if she thought he would be fooled easily.

He caught her wrist before she could touch him, a growl escaping him.

It was a warning.

Sage's eyes went wide, taken back by his quick movement. She winced when he pushed her wrist away from him. It hurt.

"What do you want Sage?" He was not in the mood for games.

Sage rubbed her wrist and glared at him. "I just wanted to congratulate you and-"

"Nik!" A breathless Bonnie stepped inside the tent.

Sage smirked in her direction.

Bonnie stopped abruptly and glanced back and forth between the two of them. Her eyes narrowing when she noticed how close Sage was standing to her half naked husband. She didn't like it at all.

"Bonnie," Sage greeted with that stupid smirk still on her face.

The fury inside her body materialized in the form of a clap of thunder. "What are you doing here?" she had to keep her emotions under control.

"She was just leaving," Nik stepped away from Sage and walked towards his wife. "Sweetheart." His eyes softened when he looked at her.

The anger and jealousy inside Bonnie melted away. "I-" she didn't have a chance to say anything else because Nik cupped the side of her face and kissed her lips. Bonnie gasped, taken by surprise. He had moved really fast. While the kiss caught her off guard, instinct took over and she sighed against his mouth, parting her lips to welcome him. It was almost frightening how much she wanted him. After all the passion of the previous night, she still wanted more. While Nik teased her lips, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled their bodies closer, wanting to deepen the kiss. She didn't care that he was sweaty and dirty, she wanted to rub her hands all over his body. _He was hers_. She was desperate but he had impeccable control. He didn't rush, he didn't plunder, instead he savored her taste, taking his time to explore her mouth with his skilled tongue. One hand grabbed the back of her neck, the other took a possessive hold of her hip. Bonnie moaned with each stroke of his tongue. She could spent a thousand winters kissing him; in his arms she was loved.

As the kiss became more intense, she felt tremors over his body. She could have sworn she heard him growl too. Her dress felt too tight and her pulse raced with anticipation. It was only the need for air that forced them apart. She felt dizzy and the heat on her face could light up a fire. "What was Sage doing here?" she asked after a while. The red-haired woman had left without any of them noticing but Bonnie had not forgotten the way Sage had been looking at her husband.

Nik chuckled. "You're a very jealous little thing, aren't you wife?" He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her even closer.

"I didn't like how she was staring at you."

"She wanted to congratulate me on my victory, or so she claimed."

Bonnie frowned.

"Whatever game she was playing, I'm not interested." He rubbed his nose against her before claiming her lips once more. Bonnie gave in, _how could she not?_ His taste was sinful. She moved her hands over his shoulders and back, caressing the still sweaty skin with her fingers, nails gently scrapping his back. He groaned, hands wandering down her body, tugging at her skirt. Bonnie's body stilled when he began to pull her skirt up. "Nik-" she broke their kiss and tried to push him away. "We can't."

"Why not?" he kissed her chin, her cheek, her ear, fingers gently caressing her bare leg.

Bonnie trembled, her knees buckling. "Someone could walk in and-" she sucked in a breath when she felt his hot breath against her neck.

"They're all preoccupied with the tourney," he murmured before sucking on her pulse point.

Bonnie closed her eyes and moaned. "But…" whatever protest she had thought of was carried away by the sweet persuasion of his lips. It was so easy to forget herself, to forget all propriety and give in to the fire burning in her veins. _What would her Grams think?_ She wondered vaguely. This was not how a lady, let alone a princess should act.

Nik's fingers continued to caress her leg, moving up to her thigh. Bonnie shivered against him, welcoming his touch. He swallowed her cry when his fingers found the hidden pearl between her legs. "Nik…" she cried out when she felt him push against her center.

"Nik!"

"Nik!"

Bonnie gasped and pushed him away from her.

Nik cursed loudly, his eyes two pools of gold.

"Nik!" Henrik was out of breath when he came inside the tent.

Bonnie spun around, turning her back to the young boy as she struggled to regain her senses and fix her dress.

"Henrik," Niklaus hissed with a murderous glare. He loved his brother; he truly did but his timing as of late was getting on Nik's nerves.

Henrik was completely oblivious to the look his brother gave him; he was far too excited to realize what he had interrupted. "You're going to fight Damon!" he blurted out.

"What!" Bonnie felt her stomach drop. She turned back to face Nik, a fearful look on her face.

"Nik and Damon are to face each other in the next round!" Henrik exclaimed. "I can't wait for you to kick his arrogant ass!"

Bonnie's face grew pale.

"There is no need to be afraid, love." Nik smirked; he was quite looking forward to putting Damon in his place.

"He hates you…"

"He can hate me all he wants," Nik told her.

"He seems like a good fighter."

"He's terrible actually."

"He likes to cheat," Henrik added.

"He won't beat me, even if he cheats," Nik proclaimed.

Bonnie shook her head. "I don't know whether to feel worried or reassured by your arrogance."

"I'm not being arrogant," her husband retorted. "I'm simply confident in my abilities."

Henrik snorted.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. She was not looking forward to his fight with Damon.

"Don't worry," Nik grabbed her hand and squeezed her fingers gently. "Everything will be fine." He brought her hand up and kissed her knuckles.

"I hope so," Bonnie murmured.

* * *

The first couple of rounds were easy for the more experienced wolves. Stefan watched with mild interest as the Mikaelson princes defeated their opponents. He wasn't surprised, he knew how good they were with the sword. They had trained together from time to time and even fought each other in mock tourneys in their youth, it was how he knew how bored Niklaus was with his opponents, none of them were a real challenge for him. Kol was enjoying himself, fighting with the same reckless abandon he trained with, the crowd loved him and he loved their attention in turn. Elijah was a more tactical fighter and that made him all the more dangerous- for his opponents did not know what to expect from him. Prince Marcel was cunning but he relied too much on his brutal strength. _He's not going to make it to the end,_ Stefan predicted. He was far better than most of his opponents but he wasn't going to get through the next round, particularly if he had to face Elijah or Niklaus. Stefan couldn't help but feel thrilled, he didn't want Prince Marcel to continue to charm the royal family or to continue to gain the love from the people.

His eyes found Rebekah, who offered him an almost shy smile. Her taste still lingered on his lips. Their stolen moments the night before, filled his heart with joy. Rebekah had given him hope that they could have a future together. It was a second chance and he was going to ensure nothing and no one could break them apart this time.

After a brief interlude, a new round of fighting was announced.

Stefan felt his stomach drop when his brother's name was mentioned along with Prince Niklaus's name. The roar that erupted from the crowd made the pit shake; both were favorites among the people although Niklaus had more support. His eyes met Rebekah's for a brief moment; he saw her surprise and apprehension before turning to face his brother.

Damon's face did not betray his feelings but Stefan saw the small smirk on his lips. He knew his brother well enough to know he was pleased. "Don't do anything stupid," he warned, knowing that Damon was impulsive and that his desire to humiliate Niklaus could cloud his judgement.

Damon rolled his eyes. "You bore me," he muttered before going to get himself ready for the fight.

For everyone's sake, Stefan hoped they had a fair fight.

* * *

Bonnie fidgeted nervously. She felt the urge to bite her nails and pull her hair.

There was a strange energy in the air.

The first couple of rounds of fighting had been more or less predictable, they had served their purpose and entertained the crowd, now came the real thing.

Everyone waited for Niklaus and Damon to make their way into the fighting pit, plenty of people had bets going on too. Nik was by far the favorite but it was also obvious that Damon had his fair share of supporters.

"Nik will win," Rebekah muttered. "He's the best."

"Elijah could win the tourney too," Katherine defended her husband. "He's as good as Nik, or even better."

"Yes, he is." Her girls agreed in unison. "Papa is the best fighter!"

Bonnie smiled, some of the tension temporarily leaving her body.

When both champions stepped inside the pit, her ears hurt from the loud cheers surrounding them. It was obvious how much the crowd wanted to see this fight; everyone was eager for both wolves to prove themselves.

Nik met Bonnie's eyes briefly before focusing all his attention on Damon.

Bonnie felt her nerves intensify. _Please win, please don't get hurt…_

Rebekah grabbed her hand, squeezing her fingers hard as the fight began.

Bonnie's eyes followed each of her husband's movements, her heart pounded loudly and her palms grew sweaty. She almost leaped out of her seat witch each clash of the swords.

"He's really good," Katherine commented quietly.

Damon had often bragged about his skills but today, he was proving that he was more than just talk.

Ilia gasped and covered her eyes when Damon pushed Nik back with a hard blow.

Bonnie winced and bit her lip. _Why had Nik taken a defensive position?_ With each of his other opponents, Bonnie had noticed that Nik was the one pushing them back, asserting his dominance from the very beginning before beating them. This time however, Damon had asserted his dominance and was on the offensive, skillfully attacking again and again. Nik was quick to evade his attacks but still. "What is he doing?" Bonnie grumbled in frustration. _Come on Nik, don't let him corner you!_ She felt herself on the verge of tears, out of frustration, out of anger and fear for her husband's safety. She couldn't believe Damon had the advantage. Her magic danced at her fingertips, ready to attack if she so desired. She suppressed the urge; Nik would never forgive her if she intervened in the fight even if it was to defend him.

"Why is he letting Damon attack like that?" Rebekah screamed.

"Wolves love to play with their food."

"Nik has everything under control," Freya said in a calm voice. She wasn't in the least worried, knowing her brother well.

Bonnie's head snapped in the king's direction. While most of the family was confused as to why Niklaus had taken such defensive approach, the king seemed content. His eyes intensely following the fight. He was smirking and so was Nik- Bonnie realized when she turned to the two champions again. _He's purposely letting Damon have the advantage!_ it suddenly dawned on Bonnie. Damon knew it too, because he was getting frustrated and really angry. He was attacking fiercely but each of his attacks was deflected. The harder Damon pushed, the easier it was for Nik to block him.

Damon's face was red. He was sweating and cursing loudly.

"Damon is really angry," Rebekah noticed.

Bonnie gasped when Damon's sword nearly cut Nik's left cheek.

"Niklaus's arrogance has put him in a dangerous situation," the queen said. She didn't seem worried at all for her son. In fact, she seemed rather pleased with the ferocious way Damon was attacking. If Bonnie didn't know any better, she would have thought the queen was cheering for Damon. _But she couldn't do that to her own son, could she?_ Surely, Bonnie was mistaken.

The king turned to her, eyes glinting. He didn't say anything, he didn't have to, his smile said it all.

Niklaus took a step forward, blocked another of Damon's attack and with a an incredibly fast move, pushed Damon's sword out of his hands.

Bonnie blinked, surprised at how easily her husband had disarmed the other wolf.

Silence.

A second later, there was an explosion as the crowd cheered for their prince.

The sword landed a couple of feet away from Damon who managed to duck Nik's attack and rolled himself on the ground. He stood up quickly and reached for his blade, only to freeze when he felt the cold tip of Niklaus's sword against his throat.

For one heartbeat, he thought Niklaus was going to cut his head off. He didn't. He forced Damon to his knees, a smirk dancing across his lips.

It was over.

Bonnie, Rebekah, Freya, Katherine and her girls all stood up and screamed joyously.

"Uncle Nik won!"

Finn cursed under his breath, he turned to his wife and was surprised to see her standing up and clapping for his brother. She was even smiling. Finn frowned and found his mother's gaze but the queen's eyes were on Sage as well and she did not look pleased at all.

The king had also stood up and was clapping.

Finn hated the proud look on his father's face. When it came to Nik, there was always joy and pride.

Niklaus pulled the sword away from Damon and offered him a hand.

Damon growled and refused to take it, he stood up and stormed out of the pit, his shoulders slumped with defeat.

Stefan breathed a sigh of relief. He tried to follow his brother but decided against it at the last second, Damon needed a couple of moments to cool off.

* * *

The relief Bonnie felt over her husband's triumph was short lived.

Elijah had to fight lord Tyler.

The tension inside the royal box was palpable as both men stepped into the pit.

Ilia and Miraa cheered for their father.

Katherine also cheered loudly but behind her smile, there was an evident cloud of worry.

"I don't like the smirk on his face," Rebekah confessed to Bonnie.

"Neither do I."

Unlike Damon who had looked determined, Lord Tyler looked overly confident. The fight hadn't even started and he already had a triumphant look on his face.

From the sidelines, Kol, Nik, and Henrik watched both champions circle each other. On the opposite side, Stefan and Marcel watched them as well.

The king gave the signal and the fight begun.

The first couple of minutes were fought cautiously.

Both men were studying the other.

Tyler was keeping his temper under control and was not attacking which forced Elijah to go on the offensive fairly quickly. Elijah however, was a very patient man. He attacked with purpose not out of anger. He was also quick and his blows were strong enough to push Tyler back a couple of times.

"Yes!" Katherine screamed.

"Go papa!" the girls cheered.

Bonnie bit her lip. Tyler's attacks were bold, he wanted to stab Elijah but the elegant prince succeeded in keeping Tyler's sword at bay which frustrated him to no end. As she continued to watch them, Bonnie couldn't help but find certain similarities between the way Nik and Elijah fought. They had different styles but there were certain moves that were the same, as well as the confidence and the ability to precipitate their opponent's moves. It was something which frustrated all their opponents, Bonnie could see it in Tyler's face. He was confident but he was also growing impatient. While Nik had allowed Damon to attack and even believe he had the advantage, toying with him until the very end, it was fairly obvious that Tyler and Elijah were more evenly matched.

"He's pretty good." Rebekah hated to admit.

"Elijah is better," Katherine retorted.

"He shouldn't underestimate Tyler," Freya muttered. She seemed nervous this time around, biting her lip constantly.

With the sun reflecting on Tyler's sword, Bonnie was able to notice a small blue streak along the blade. "What is that?"

"What?" Rebekah hardly paid her any mind as she watched the fight. She cursed when Tyler took the advantage. "Come on, Elijah you can beat him."

"That blue thing on Tyler's sword."

Rebekah frowned. "I don't see anything."

"There is something on the blade," Bonnie insisted.

"Elijah!" Katherine cried out when Tyler managed to cut him on the arm. Elijah avoided the next attack, and managed to push Tyler back with a quick succession of blows.

Miraa covered her eyes.

"Papa is bleeding!" Ilia cried worriedly.

Bonnie noticed the small trail of blood on Elijah's arm.

Tyler was attacking more furiously, hardly giving Elijah space to move or do anything else but to defend himself.

"Damn him," Freya cursed angrily.

"He's bleeding!" Ilia insisted fearfully.

"It's nothing," the king told his granddaughter. "A small cut can easily heal." There was no smirk on his lips and his eyes weren't glinting as they had done with Niklaus. He had known from the very beginning that his favorite son was playing with Damon, with Elijah and Tyler it was different. He didn't show it but the king was nervous, Bonnie could sense it. It made her worry increase tenfold.

"Wolves heal fast, darling." Katherine reassured her daughter before kissing her forehead. Her voice was calm but there was fear in her eyes.

"Tyler will win this fight," Finn predicted with a sly grin.

The women (saved for the queen and Sage) glared at him.

The cut continued to bleed and it began to hinder Elijah's abilities. He was sweating and his face was really red. His movements grew slower and he began to have a hard time blocking Tyler who cut him across the abdomen.

Katherine screamed loudly.

Rebekah choked back a sob.

"He lost," Finn muttered unable to hide his satisfied smirk.

"Stop the fight!" Bonnie stood up and turned to the king.

"It can't be stopped," the king glared at her.

"You must!"

"Silence! You stupid girl," the queen ordered.

Bonnie located Nik across the fighting pit, his eyes were gold, and she could tell that he was having a hard time controlling his anger. Henrik was beside himself, screaming as Kol held him back. The boy was mad enough to try and jump in and help his brother. "Make it, stop!" she felt tears in the corner of her eyes. "Please," she begged the king. There was a mad look on Tyler's eyes, he didn't want to win, he wanted to kill. Bonnie could feel the hatred he felt, it was dangerous.

"Father, please."

"Make it stop."

Freya and Rebekah pleaded with the king.

Elijah fell to his knees, gasping for air.

"Elijah!" Katherine got out of her seat and reached the balcony. Her eyes filled with tears as she saw how weak her husband looked.

Elijah made a choking noise and threw up.

The crowd had grown silent, no one knew for sure what was going on.

"Something is wrong with papa!"

"He's sick."

Tyler stood over Elijah grinning and lifted his sword, ready to deliver the final blow.

"STOP!" the king ordered as he stood up. He looked at his guards and they made their way towards the pit without question.

But Tyler did not listen, he swung the sword down.

Everyone gasped in horror.

"NOOOO!" Rebekah screamed with desperation.

The girls were crying and holding each other while Katherine screamed her husband's name.

"He's out of his mind!" Ayana said.

Absolute silence followed.

Everyone was in too much shock to react, everyone saved Elijah's brothers.

Kol and Nik jumped into the pit.

Henrik tried to follow but Stefan reached him in time and stopped him. "Let me go!"

"I won't let you get yourself killed!" Stefan grabbed him and held him captive in his arms.

Tyler's men jumped into pit as well, swords in hand.

Kol ducked and punched one of them in the stomach.

Niklaus's nails elongated into claws and he tore another's throat off.

There was a lot of confusion and panic.

In a matter of seconds, all hell broke loose.

People began to scream as Tyler's men fought the princes, many of them ran away from the scene, while others watched with fascinated horror.

"What in the world is going on?" Sage yelled as she saw everything unfold before her eyes.

"Get the girls out of here," Ayana grabbed Katherine's arm. "Guards!" she shouted. "We must go back to the castle."

"Elijah-" Katherine was crying, she couldn't see what happened with her husband. There was a mass of people inside the pit and she had lost sight of him.

There were screams and growls and lots of confusion going on.

"Think of your girls, get them to safety."

"Wolves!" Esther shouted.

They all watched in horror as a pack of wolves ran into the pit, tearing bodies apart with their sharp teeth.

The king growled, eyes turning into two murderous pools of gold. His hand grew in size and his nails became sharp claws.

The royal guards surrounded the Mikaelson family as the wolves jumped into fighting frenzy below.

"We need to get out of here," Finn told his mother. "They're going to kill us." He grabbed his wife's arm and pulled her towards him.

"Your brothers," Sage said while looking fearfully at the pit.

"Who cares about them," Finn muttered and began to drag her towards the castle.

"We need to get back inside, your grace." The captain of the royal guard urged the king to leave.

"Get the women back to the castle," the king instructed. "Lock the gates if necessary."

"Where are you going?" Esther demanded.

Mikael ignored her.

"My brothers can take care of themselves," Finn told his father. "We need to reach the safety of the castle."

"Henrik is down there!" Freya reminded her brother. "How can you be so heartless, you should be down there helping them!"

Finn ignored her.

The king headed right into the pit, a menacing growl escaping him.

"Father-" Finn tried to reason with him.

"My sons are not cowards and neither is their father," the king hissed before heading right into battle.

Finn felt like he had been punched.

"Let's go inside," Esther grabbed his arm and urged him to move.

As the guards guided the women and Finn back to the castle, Katherine who carried Ilia in her arms turned to Ayana who was carrying a tearful Miraa. "Where is Rebekah? And Bonnie?" she asked fearfully.

No one had noticed when both princesses left the royal box.

No one had any idea where they were.

* * *

In the commotion, no one noticed that Tyler's blade had stopped inches away from Elijah's throat.

"What the hell," Tyler muttered, using all his werewolf strength to push the sword against the king's son. It didn't work, the sword flew away from his hand.

In the next second, Tyler was pushed away from the prince by an invisible force.

Elijah didn't even notice, he was choking. His face was red and completely bathed in sweat. He could hardly breathe or move, the poison attacking his system paralyzing him. His healing abilities were struggling to keep the poison from killing him, he could feel his senses dulling and his strength leaving him. In the distance, he heard an echo of a scream and the sound of fighting but his vision was blurry so he couldn't see what was going on.

"Damn it," Tyler pushed himself to his feet. His men had entered the pit and were fighting the King's guards as well as his sons. Things had gone to hell. He managed to see Elijah on his knees still, struggling to breathe. He eyed his sword and picked it up, heading towards the dying man.

Niklaus materialized in front on him.

Tyler grinned.

"Son of a bitch," Niklaus snarled, eyes shifting gold, and nails elongating once more.

"Just the man I wanted to run into," Tyler swung his sword and stabbed air. "What the…" he looked to the right and then to his left.

 _Where had Niklaus gone to?_

His spine tingled when he felt a cold breath down his neck.

A hand grabbed him by the back of the head, lifting his body up as if he weighted nothing, in the next heartbeat, Tyler's face was smashed against the ground. There was a loud clank as his sword fell from his hands. Tyler groaned, blood pouring down the side of his face. He managed to let out a choked gasp before he was smashed down once more.

Niklaus's angry growl resonated in his ears as he received another blow.

In the distance, wolves howled.

* * *

After managing to stop Tyler from killing Elijah with her magic, Bonnie made it to the fighting pit. She saw Kol fighting some of Tyler's men and Niklaus grabbing Tyler by the neck before smashing him to the ground. Bonnie winced and saw the sword a few away from the lord's hand. With a shake of her head the sword slid away from Tyler. She murmured a spell and the sword materialized in front of her. All she had to do was smell the tip to know that it had poison. The scent was familiar and as her brain came up with multiple antidotes, she walked towards Elijah who was lying on the ground, shaking uncontrollably.

"Elijah, can you hear me?"

Elijah groaned, foam coming out of his mouth.

Bonnie's heart froze.

"What's wrong with him?" A breathless Rebekah asked. She had run into the pit without thinking, following Bonnie right into the middle of the mass of fighting wolves.

"He's been poisoned." Bonnie rolled Elijah on his back and placed her hand on his chest. She needed to stop the poison from reaching his heart, then she could focus on healing him. She began chanting.

Rebekah sensed a presence behind her and turned just in time to deflect the blow from one of Tyler's man.

"Rebekah!"

The soldier raised his sword but Rebekah was faster, ripping his heart out of his chest without hesitation.

"Behind you!" Bonnie yelled.

Rebekah cried out when a big grey wolf jumped on her. She used her arms to protect her face and let out a heartbreaking scream when he bit her wrist, tearing part of her flesh off.

The wolf yelp when he was lifted in the air.

Rebekah winced when she heard the crouching sound of his neck breaking. He fell to the ground dead. She leaned on her elbows and looked up, murmuring a soft "thank you," to Bonnie who nodded before going back to help Elijah. To her surprise, she saw Stefan and Henrik.

"Are you okay?" Stefan helped her to her feet.

"Yes." She saw Henrik kneel on the ground, right next to Elijah. "What are you doing here?"

"I tried to stop him but he elbowed me on the ribs and jumped to the pit," Stefan explained. The boy was stronger than he looked and pretty fast too.

"You tried to keep him safe," Rebekah gave him a grateful look.

Stefan shrugged. He had tried but Henrik was persistent. "He's a sneaky one."

Rebekah smiled at her younger brother.

"Is Elijah going to be okay?" he asked Bonnie.

"I will do my best to heal him," Bonnie promised.

All around them, wolves fought wolves. It was hard to tell who was on which side.

There was a lot of screaming as the crowd tried to make it out of the pit without getting hurt.

"We need to get out of here," Stefan told them. "I'm surprised no more wolves have attacked us."

"They can't see us," Bonnie murmured without taking her eyes off Elijah. She was pressing his chest, chanting softly inside her mind.

Stefan gave her a curious look.

"Bonnie is a powerful witch," Henrik explained with a proud grin.

Stefan knew Bonnie was a witch but this was the first time he was seeing her powers first hand.

"Where did those wolves come from?" Rebekah asked.

"Tyler's men, I believe." Tyler's allies were smart, by using their wolf forms it would be more difficult to determine their identities. "We should head back inside the castle," Stefan said to them. "We'll be safer there." He approached Bonnie and Henrik. "I can carry Elijah," he offered.

Bonnie opened her eyes and let out a long sigh. "I stopped the poison from reaching his heart but I still need to make an antidote."

Rebekah nodded.

Stefan picked up Elijah in his arms. "Henrik, go to your sister." He turned to Bonnie then. "Could you keep using your magic and help us make it to the castle."

"Of course."

Bonnie let the way, her magic wrapping around the small group and ensuring none of the wolves fighting would notice them. Stefan followed with Elijah in his arms, and Henrik holding Rebekah's hand. As they were leaving, Bonnie caught sight of her husband breaking Tyler's legs. As if sensing her gaze, he turned to look in their direction, Bonnie lowered her magic just enough so he could see them and know that they were okay. Their eyes met.

There was a loud rumble.

An explosion followed.

"What the bloody hell?" Rebekah screeched, pulling Henrik closer to her side.

"Fire!" Henrik pointed to the different tents outside the pit; they were all in flames.

"Shit," Stefan hissed.

A group of cloaked figures were marching straight towards the fighting pit, a trail of flames in their wake.

Thick black smoke formed all around them.

Anguished screams soon followed.

"What the hell is going on?" Henrik asked before coughing.

The smoke was so thick it was hard to see and it hurt to breathe too.

"Nik!" Bonnie called to her husband as the familiar scene resonated inside her.

 _Heat_

 _Smoke_

 _Anguished screams_

 _Fear_

Bonnie felt all of it.

With a heaviness in her heart, she realized her dream had started to come true.


	11. Chapter 11

The surprised attack and the chaos that followed had the people scrambling for safety.

The cloaked figures used torches to burn the tents surrounding the grounds while the pack of wolves continued to attack and kill anyone that got in their way. Men, women, even children, no one was spared from their wrath.

Bonnie stared at Nik.

The fear in her eyes told him everything. "Go!" He shouted before avoiding the sneak attack from a wolf. "Get inside!" He tried to make his way towards her but three wolves jumped on him, Nik fought them off, barely controlling the desire to shift. He and Kol were practically back to back as they continued to destroy Tyler's men.

Bonnie strengthened cloaking spell around them. She worried for both Nik and Kol but she could also see how good they were, they had the advantage. Tyler's men didn't stand a chance against Nik and his brother.

"Father!" Henrik cried when he saw the king and his men joining the fight.

Mikael wasted no time, kicking and punching and tearing wolves apart with his bare hands. He was very fast and could keep up with the much younger wolves fighting him. They all watched in awe as the king and his sons dominated the battlefield.

Many of the nobles in attendance shifted and fought beside their king and his sons; many others ran for to the safety of the castle.

It was hard to tell who was friend or foe.

Rivers of blood pooled at their feet while body parts flew left and right.

This was no honorable battle but a carnage unlike anything Bonnie had ever seen before. She was frozen in place, watching the unfolding events with horror. There was a part of her that wanted to help but that would require becoming visible to the wolves around them and that would put her family and Stefan in danger. She couldn't risk that, not with Elijah barely clinging to life. She had to work on the potion to save him.

"Bonnie!"

Rebekah's worried voice finally shook her out of her trance.

"We need to get inside the castle," Stefan told them. "Hurry."

Together the group continued to walk towards the castle.

Halfway through their journey, Bonnie stopped when she felt a strong current of power nearby. _Magic,_ she recognized it at once. She looked over her shoulder and to her sides but found nothing out of the ordinary. As far as she knew she was the only witch in the wolf kingdom so where was this power coming from? Were they being followed? Her eyes drifted towards the cloaked figures, with their silver masks, and torches. There was something different about them, they weren't wolves but they weren't fully human either. There was an aura of danger surrounding them. She shivered upon recalling her nightmare. _Stay away from them,_ her magic warned.

"Are you alright?" Henrik asked her.

"Yes," Bonnie offered him a weak smile and picked up her pace. The sooner they could get inside the castle the better.

They made it to the castle's courtyard without much problem.

Stefan, Rebekah, and Henrik walked through the gates but Bonnie stopped upon hearing a heart wrenching scream; it came from a little boy and girl huddled together against a grain cart as an angry wolf opened its jaw and prepared to bite them.

With a flick of her wrist the wolf rose into the air.

The children gasped, eyes wide and pale faces staring at her with awe struck looks.

"Get inside," Bonnie told them. The children ran inside and with another flick of her wrist, the beast's neck broke and its dead body fell down to the ground.

The death of their pack mate attracted the other wolves' attention.

A huge grey wolf howled and called the rest to his side.

Bonnie's heart leaped to her throat as the pack began to circle her.

They growled at her trying to intimidate her; each time the circle grew smaller and smaller.

Bonnie waved both of her hands.

The ripple of power she released flung the entire pack away from her; they fell unconscious on the ground.

Bonnie felt a cold prickle on the back of her neck. She spun around just in time to see the flash of purple light coming towards her; it hit her right in the chest. The wind was knocked out of her and she fell to her knees, a startled cry escaping her throat.

The cloaked figured marched right up to her, raising its gloved hand.

There was another shot of purple light.

It stopped right in front of Bonnie's face.

The cloaked figure pushed his hand forward enhancing the force of the attack but Bonnie managed to keep it frozen in place. She snapped her head to the side and the purple light was deflected towards the grain cart which erupted in flames. Bonnie clutched her chest, hand glowing as she struggled to close the nasty wound. The bodice of her dress was covered in blood while hot tears streamed down her cheeks. She summoned as much power as possible and used it to choke the cloaked figure. He sank to his knees and fell face down on the ground.

Bonnie focused on her breathing _. In and out,_ she told herself while her hand continued to glow spreading a warm sensation over chest while the flesh mended itself. She was so focused on healing herself that she didn't hear the heavy footsteps behind her. She screamed when a hand grabbed her hair and pulled backwards, she saw the flash of metal as the knife came down and screamed at the top of her lungs.

A menacing growl was suddenly heard.

The knife dropped to the muddy ground before it could cut her neck.

Bonnie fell back down when the attacker was pulled away from her. "Nik," she murmured with relief. Her husband made quick work of the cloaked man, snapping his neck with both hands before discarding him.

"Behind you!" Bonnie warned him.

A rather large brown wolf jumped from behind him and bit him on the shoulder. The wolves Bonnie had flung away had recuperated and were out for blood. Nik let out an angry hiss when the wolf bit him and grabbed him by the head trying to pull him away while another wolf took the opportunity and bit his leg, a third wolf tried to bite his other leg but Nik kicked him away.

Bonnie placed a hand on the ground.

A crack formed on the soil- right from her fingertips and slithered all the way towards the wolf biting her husband's leg, the wolf let out a yelp as roots sprung from the earth and tied him up, squeezing him hard until his bones broke.

Nik pulled the wolf attached to his shoulder and threw him on the ground, kicking him hard with his bloody leg; he stomped on the wolf's neck until he broke it in half. He stared at his wife then, eyes filled with pride which was quickly replaced with concern when he saw the blood on her chest.

"Bonnie," he made his way to Bonnie, kneeling in front of her. He grabbed her by the arms, golden eyes searching her tear stained face. "Are you-"

"I'm fine," Bonnie whispered and offered him a small smile. "I healed myself," she told him. She could breathe properly now even though she was still shaking uncontrollably. Her face was flushed and her fingers burned from the power swirling inside her. Her magic was more than ready to keep fighting.

Nik cradled her face with one hand and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"He had magic."

"What?" he looked at her with surprise.

"That one," Bonnie pointed to the man that attacked her first. "He used magic against me, the other one I didn't see coming but…" she glanced over her shoulder at the hooded man Nik had killed. "He didn't use magic against me or you." He had attacked her with a knife and he hadn't even defended himself against Nik. _If he had magic, he would have used it, right?_

"This was personal," Nik growled. They had targeted his wife specifically, of that he felt sure. "Just like your dream…" He stared into her eyes. "Was he a witch too?"

"Yes."

"Are there any others?"

"I'm not sure." Bonnie had sensed magic before, probably the cloaked figure following her but as she stood near the gates with her husband, she couldn't really sense any more witches around. _Was the cloaked figure the only one? Why did he attack her? or better yet, on whose orders, who wanted her dead?_

There was a lot of commotion in the courtyard as the king entered with a handful of his men. Kol and a few other nobles followed them-all were covered in blood. Bonnie averted her eyes when she noticed some of the men where naked, probably the ones who shifted into their wolf forms.

"It's over," Kol told them while glancing at the bodies in the courtyard.

"Elijah?" the king questioned the couple.

"We searched for him but couldn't find him in the pit," Kol added worriedly.

"Lord Stefan carried him inside," Bonnie responded while her husband helped her to her feet. "He's been poisoned but I can make a cure. Rebekah and Henrik are with them." The look the king gave her made her nervous. His eyes were still the color of gold and he was looking at her almost as if he were trying to read her soul.

"What do you need?"

"A few herbs, some common roots..." Bonnie murmured. "...all things we should have in the kitchen."

"Good." The king turned to his son then. "I have summoned the council to the throne room, I want you present."

"Yes, father."

The king and his men made their way inside the castle without another word.

"I saw one of your men take Tyler," Kol said to his brother. "You spared him," he reproached Nik. His hands were clenched at his sides and the growl he let out was menacing.

"He's more useful to us alive," Nik replied calmly.

"Useful?" Kol spat. "That insignificant twat?" he approached them. "His head should be on a spike; how could you be so stupid as to keep him alive?"

Nik growled, not liking his brother's tone.

"Kol-" Bonnie tried to get in between them but Nik pushed her behind him. He and Kol bumped chests as they glared at each other.

"How can you be so stupid as to not see what's at play?" Nik countered. "We can get information out of Tyler."

"He tried to murder Elijah!"

"And he will pay for it," Nik snapped. "Make no mistake about that."

"You should have killed him," Kol growled and stormed inside the castle without another word.

"Nik…" Bonnie murmured worriedly.

"He'll get over it," Nik assured. "Kol is temperamental. He's not thinking clearly at the moment."

Bonnie hoped so. "I have to make the potion for Elijah." She needed get started on the cure before it was too late.

"Will he-"

"He'll be fine," Bonnie promised. "I will heal him."

"And you?" Nik wondered. "Are you sure you are alright?"

"Yes," Bonnie rose on her tiptoes and kissed him sweetly on the lips. She was about to get inside the castle when she diverted her path and walked towards the hooded man that attacked her. She lowered herself to the ground and pulled his mask off. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the nasty burned marks on his face.

"Does he look familiar?" Nik wondered.

Bonnie shook her head. The man's face was disfigured because of the burns but she didn't recognize him at all. "I wonder what happen to him?" Those burns on his face were significant.

Nik shrugged.

"What will happen to his body?" she asked him.

"The bodies will be burned, except the high lords, they will be given back to their families for a proper burial."

Bonnie murmured a couple of spells, using her magic to cut a lock of the man's dark hair.

"What is that for?" Nik asked curiously.

"I remember a spell in one of my books," she murmured while pulling a handkerchief from the bodice of her dress and wrapping the hair in it. "It might help me figure out who he is or where he comes from." She stood up and hid the handkerchief on her dress before turning to her husband once more. "I have to go." She couldn't keep wasting time, Elijah needed the cure desperately.

Nik nodded.

They shared another sweet kiss before heading inside.

Bonnie went straight to Elijah's chambers while Nik headed for the throne room.

* * *

All the wounded were taken to the great hall; most of them were women and children and the few men that made it through the carnage. Even though they were werewolves and had superior abilities, deep wounds took time to properly heal.

Rebekah's eyes were filled with tears, the terrified cries from the children, the moans of agony from the men-most of whom had lost a limb or two, and the wailing from the widows that had gathered at the entrance blended together. Her heart bled for all of them. She felt angry at Tyler and his men for attacking innocent people and she also felt afraid for what it meant for her family.

 _What was to happen now?_

Her father was furious, Rebekah had seen him storming into the castle alongside his men- all covered in mud and blood. Kol had not look any better but both of them were alive and unharmed. Elijah had been taken to his chamber and Rebekah had all the hope in the world that Bonnie was going to cure him. Still, she couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if Bonnie had not been there to save Elijah? _What if Tyler's men had succeeded?_ She shuddered.

"Are you alright?" Stefan murmured worriedly.

"Why?" Rebekah turned to face him, tears in her eyes. "Tyler was ready to kill my brother; his men attacked innocent people…" her entire body shook. The anger she felt mixed with fear and uncertainty. "I know his family hates my family but I never thought he would dare to…" she choked back a sob. "...or that his men would hurt so many innocent people..."

Stefan grabbed her arm, leading her towards the corner, away from any prying eyes. "He planned this," Stefan said. He glanced around the room with uncertainty. Many noble lords laid injured but plenty of them had escaped unscathed. "He's not smart enough to do this on his own…" he muttered more to himself. Tyler was too impulsive, too quick to anger, similar to Stefan's own brother. "You and your family need to be very careful," he whispered while taking her hand in his. "This attack will bring consequences and if the king seeks retribution..."

"He has every right!" Rebekah's voice rose and she had to bite her lip from cursing Tyler out loud. _A princess should never use foul words,_ Ayana had always reminded her. "He should consider himself lucky that Nik didn't kill him." She had seen Nik's men dragging a bloodied and nearly fainted Tyler towards the dungeons.

"The Lockwoods are a powerful family," Stefan was quick to remind her. "Even if Tyler instigated the attack, his father will expect a trial." It was something her brother had clearly seen even in the heat of the battle and why he chose to spare the Lockwood boy. His father had always told them that Nik was the most dangerous of the Mikaelsons' princes, he was always two steps ahead of everyone else.

"He doesn't deserve a trial!" Rebekah huffed. "He tried to kill a prince of the blood! Dozens of innocents are dead because of his men!"

"The fact that his men were willing to risk everything for this attack, that they so brazenly attacked you brothers and your father, should tell you how dangerous the situation is. They wouldn't have dared if they didn't have more people supporting them or the belief that they could win."

Rebekah frowned.

"The Lockwoods wouldn't have dared to do something like this if they didn't have powerful allies backing them." He squeezed her fingers. "You must be careful, Bekah. The threat to your father's reign has never been more real than now. Trust no one," he warned her.

"Not even you?" she asked in a small whisper.

Stefan gave her a pained look. "I will never betray you," he promised. "But my father...and Damon..." he couldn't speak for them. His father was too ambitious and his brother hated the Mikaelsons with a burning passion. "You have my word that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe."

Rebekah closed her eyes when he traced her cheek. "Stefan…" she wanted to kiss him. The urgency she felt to feel his arms around her, to taste his lips, just thinking of it made her knees week. She was scared and she wanted him to comfort her but there were too many people around them.

"Princess…"

Rebekah pulled away from Stefan, startled by the sound of the guard's voice.

"The queen has order for all the princesses of the blood to be escorted to the Rose Tower," he glanced nervously between the two of them.

The last thing Rebekah wanted was to be locked up with her mother and Sage in the tower. "I will help the injured," she decided.

"But the queen-"

Rebekah left before he could finish, Stefan following her. A smirk formed on her lips when she saw Freya giving orders and encouraging the other women to help the wounded. It seemed her sister had the same idea as her. "I thought mother ordered for us to wait in the tower."

"I'm not going to sit by the fire like a delicate flower," Freya muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"Neither am I," Rebekah agreed. She glanced at Stefan who nodded. "What do you want us to do?"

Freya smiled at the two of them and began instructing them on how to help the injured which continued to arrive inside the great hall.

* * *

The king paced around the throne room, his eyes the color of gold still. He was furious; killing his enemies had done nothing to appease the beast inside him. He craved more blood, particularly the blood of those who had wrong him.

The members of his council did not agree on the proper course of action, some argued for caution, others wanted blood, and plenty more were still in shock over what transpired during the tournament.

"How many people have been injured or killed?" the king demanded.

"At least a dozen women and children were murdered during the attack, twice as many men and guards have been injured."

"The wounded are in the great hall," another member added. "But we still don't have a full count."

"Any culprits apprehended?"

"Most are dead, your Grace."

"Do we know the identity of the wolves helping Lord Tyler?"

"It was hard to tell as they fought in their wolf form and all of them were killed, your Grace." The man glanced at Niklaus who was quietly standing by his father's side. "Prince Niklaus and prince Kol dealt with most of them."

"Good." Mikael nodded in his son's direction.

"What I want to know is who the cloaked figures were," Niklaus spoke up. "Did anyone here recognize any of them?"

"No, sire."

"No."

"They were wearing masks and were burning all the tents..."

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Lord Dustin."

The short man shrunk under the king's hard gaze. "I do not believe they were wolves," King Mikael stated, glancing at his son once more.

"I do not think they were wolves either," Nik agreed with him. He contemplated telling them one had magic and had tried to kill his wife but he abstained from it in the end. That was too valuable to share even with his father's council.

"They must have been wearing masks for a reason," another wolf lord said.

"Assassins hired by the Lockwood heir," another lord proposed.

"The Salvatore's are probably involved!"

"Giuseppe is no fool; he wouldn't dare an open attack like this!"

"The princes from the East?" someone else suggested.

"They are honored guest of the King, surely they wouldn't dare…" Lord Dustin glanced at the king nervously.

"Every Lord invited to the tourney could have something to do with this attack."

"What shall we do then? Arrest them all?"

"Sire, we need to be cautious."

"Caution, be dammed!" Lord Fell shouted. "This attack was planned."

"Where is the Lockwood heir?" someone wondered. "Is he dead?" his eyes turned to the prince. "Last I saw, you were fighting him my prince."

"Tyler is in the dungeon, awaiting the king's justice," Niklaus responded calmly. The fool was also licking his wounds and contemplating his misery no doubt.

Mikael's eyes gleamed dangerously as he studied his son. "You did not kill him?"

Nik had wanted to kill Tyler and had been within his right to do so but he also knew the bastard could be more useful alive. "He's more use to us alive, father. We can interrogate him and find out who his allies are, and what other plots they have against our family."

"It will keep his father and brother in line as well," the king agreed. "Summon his father and his brother," he ordered. "Their lands and titles will be confiscated and they shall keep Tyler company in the dungeons upon arriving." The captain of his guard nodded and promptly exited the throne room to fulfill the king's orders. "You!" he pointed to another guard. "Get the torturer," the smirk on his face was almost sinister as he gave the order. "He will _persuade_ Tyler to talk."

The guard nodded and left.

"Lord Tyler's father will surely want a trial; will you give him one, your Grace?" a meek lord asked from the back.

"The only justice traitors deserve is death," the king hissed. "I will make an example of all of them." He turned to another guard. "Arrest his wife and child as well."

"The Lady Caroline is a noble lady-"

"A whore!" some cried from the back.

"She and the child are innocent."

"How are we to know that for sure?" Lord Fell challenged.

"I want all those who carry the Lockwood name under arrest!" the king proclaimed.

"My lord if you arrest them their allies will rise against you…the Forbes family..."

"Have no power or army to defend them," Lord Fell intervened once more. "We can keep them as hostages."

"Those who follow Lord Lockwood are already in open rebellion against the crown," another council member pointed out.

"Tyler signed his own death warrant the moment he tried to kill my son!" The king shouted angrily. "That was no fair fight but a brutal attack against the prince, his men did not hesitate to attack my sons or to murder innocent people!" He moved his eyes around the room. "You all saw it!" he waited to see if anyone would protest, when they didn't, he continued, "it was an attack without provocation. I have every right to seek justice!"

There were many nods and whispers of agreement across the room.

"This could mean war!"

"If my enemies want war, I will give them war!" Mikael stared into his son's eyes, lips curling maliciously. "There shall be no mercy for our enemies."

"No mercy indeed," Nik agreed.

* * *

Despite her panic, Katherine held herself together and helped Bonnie to undress Elijah. Ayana ordered the servants to bring cloths and water to clean his wounds while Bonnie instructed one of the maids to go the kitchen and bring her a handful of herbs, flower seeds, and roots she needed to make the cure.

"You will be alright, my love." Katherine kissed his sweaty forehead tenderly. She turned to Bonnie. "What else can I do to help you?"

"Crush the leaves and mix them in a bowl with rose water," Bonnie instructed while she summoned a cauldron and placed it by the fire. One of the maids screamed when the fireplace erupted in flames. She stared at Bonnie with wide eyes.

"Don't just stand there, girl!" Ayana scolded her. "Bring more water and some wine too."

The girl nodded before running out of the room.

Bonnie cleared a nearby table and instructed Katherine on how to crush the roots the maid had brought from the kitchen. Katherine had steady hands and with a task in mind, she was able to concentrate and be of great assistance to the witch. Ayana in the meantime, cleaned Elijah's wounds and placed a cold cloth on his forehead to help fight the fever.

The three of them worked in silence for the most part.

The shuffling of feet and the murmurs from the maids going in and out of the chamber accompanied them as they worked, and so did Elijah's heavy breathing. From time to time, he would moan in pain. He was really pale and purple veins had started forming from his chest all the way down to his arms.

"It's the poison," Bonnie told them when Ayana pointed them out.

"He doesn't have much time left, does he?"

Katherine froze upon hearing that. "Will the potion..." she swallowed the lump in her throat, unable to finish the sentence and stared at Bonnie pleadingly.

"I'm almost done," Bonnie replied firmly. Time was of the essence but she was a skilled potion maker. Her grandmother had taught them from an early age. There was no plant, no flower or root Bonnie didn't know about. She knew exactly what she was doing. By the time the potion boiled, Bonnie's face was flushed and beads of sweat dripped down her face. She felt tired from all the magic and concentration she had used but she gave Katherine and Ayana a proud grin as she filled a cup with the antidote.

Ayana and Katherine eased Elijah into a sitting position. He was so weak, his head slumped to the side. Ayana held him while Katherine pried his mouth open. Bonnie waved her hand over the cup, lowering the temperature so he would be able to drink it without problem. She fed him the cure although Elijah coughed and spit some of it out.

"You must drink," Katherine encouraged him, still holding his face with her hands. "It will heal you, darling. Please drink."

It took a couple of tries but he finally managed to drink all of it. He groaned and fell back against the pillows.

Katherine and Ayana breathed sighs of relief.

"It's going to take some time," Bonnie informed them. "He needs to rest while the cure does its work."

Elijah had already stopped shaking and the color was returning to his cheeks.

Katherine nodded. "Thank you, Bonnie." She hugged her tightly. "Thank-you for saving him," she whispered. "For everything you have done for us."

"There is no need to thank me," Bonnie smiled and hugged her back. "We're family."

* * *

"Where are my daughters?" the queen demanded as soon as she saw the guard she sent to fetch them.

The guard swallowed nervously and stayed by the door. "They refused to come, my queen." He glanced nervously at Prince Finn and his wife who were accompanying the queen in the tower.

Esther glared at the man who visibly shrunk by the venomous look on her face.

"They are in the great hall tending to the wounded," he explained.

"The king?" Finn questioned the guard. "Did he made it back safely?"

"Yes. He's in the throne room with the small council and prince Niklaus."

At the mention of Nik, Sage turned away from the widow and joined her husband and good mother by the door. "Shouldn't you be with them?" she asked Finn.

Finn gave her a strange look.

"The witch girl?" Esther questioned the guard.

"The princess is taking care of Prince Elijah; Princess Katherine and the lady Ayana are with her."

"He's alive?" Finn questioned unable to mask the surprise in his voice. "Tyler didn't kill him?" The last they had seen of Elijah; Tyler's sword was coming down on him.

The guard shook his head. "Lord Salvatore, that is Lord Stefan carried him inside," he informed them. "The Princess is said to be making a cure for him." All the servants were whispering about the power their new princess had. All the maids were in awe of her.

The queen didn't say anything but she looked deep in thought.

"And what do you know of the Lockwood heir?" Sage questioned the guard.

"He's in the dungeon, awaiting justice."

"Thank-you, Percival. You may go now."

The guard nodded and bowed to the queen before retiring.

Esther turned to her favorite son. "Go to the throne room," she ordered.

"What for?"

Sage shook her head, unable to hide the disappointed look on her face. _Had Finn always been so dim?_

"Your place is by the king's side," Esther told him. "The people need to see _you_. They need to know that they can count on their prince to guide them in these dark times." She gave him a meaningful look. "Find out what the king wants to do." _You must keep me informed,_ was left unsaid.

"As you wish," Finn didn't seem particularly happy but as usual, he followed his mother's council. He always did what his mother told him to do.

Sage watched him go and waited a couple of moments before taking her leave.

"And where do you think you are going?"

Esther's voice stopped her just as she reached the door. Sage took a deep breath, masked her face, and turned around. She smiled politely at her good mother. "To make myself useful," she responded calmly. "Just like my good sisters, the people need to see their _future queen_ cares for them."

Esther's eyes narrowed. "The people care very little for you."

It took every bit of self-control Sage possessed not to let the hatred she felt show on her face. "Perhaps I am not as well liked as Katherine or Rebekah but they can come to love me."

Esther laughed at that.

"I will make them love me," Sage proclaimed before hurrying out of the room.

"Stupid girl," Esther hissed as she watched her leave. _You will never be queen,_ she vowed. _I will make sure of it._

* * *

Bonnie let out a sigh as she stepped out of Elijah's chambers, Katherine was with him now while Ayana had retired to tend to the children. Her head hurt a bit and her stomach grumbled loudly. She was aching for a bath and a hot meal. She closed her eyes and rubbed the back of her neck, a lone guard trailing behind her.

Night had fallen by the time she made it back to her chambers and to her relief, Davina had filled the tub with water. She also had a plate with breed, cheese, and ham set up in a small table nearby. She had been dozing off in a chair but jumped with the sound of the door and stood up. "I'm afraid the water has turned cold, princess. I can get-"

"It's alright," Bonnie told her with a soft smile. "Thank you, Davina. You may retire now."

"But who's going to help you?"

"I can manage."

Davina bit her lip.

"Get some rest, Davina. It's been a long day."

Davina nodded and smiled gratefully.

Once she was alone in her chamber, Bonnie made quick work of her clothes. She laid the folded handkerchief with her attacker's hair on the long table by the window. _I will look for the spell tomorrow,_ she thought and walked towards the tub; with a single single look, steam rose and the water grew hot once more. Bonnie sank into the warm water and sighed contently. She ate most of the bread with the cheese and drank a cup of wine and continued to relax in the tub. It had been a tiring day but she felt happy that her family was safe.

She must have fallen asleep because when she opened her eyes, she was no longer in the tub but in the feather bed, her husband's naked body pressed against her back under the furs. The fire was roaring and the candles were nearly burned out.

Nik nuzzled her neck and shoulder.

Bonnie smiled, feeling safe and warm in his arms.

"Thank you, for saving Elijah." He deposited a chaste kiss on her pulse point.

"There is no need to thank me." Bonnie shifted so she could turn around and face him.

Nik pulled her closer, enjoying the feel of their naked bodies pressed together. He pushed her hair away from her face, caressing her cheek gently.

Bonnie smiled, heart skipping a beat at the tender look he was giving her.

Outside their door, they both could hear she shuffling of feet, and the sound of voices. It was dark but the castle was still buzzing with activity.

"What's happening Nik?" Bonnie asked in a whisper, she was almost afraid to find out the answer.

"War," was his honest reply.

Bonnie felt a slight shiver down her spine. He sounded so sure, like it was inevitable. She didn't like it. "Has Tyler been interrogated?"

"Not yet." They were giving him time to heal a bit before the torturer did his work. "He's in the dungeon," Nik informed her, his knuckles gently tracing her arm. "His father and brother have been summoned to court, and Caroline and her child are already under arrest."

Bonnie gasped. "You don't truly believe Lady Caroline is involved in this?"

"No, but she's Tyler's wife."

"But Nik!" Bonnie exclaimed, alarmed. "They can't throw her in the dungeon, she didn't do anything!"

"Caroline is a lady of noble blood and will be treated as such," Nik responded. "She has been locked in the north tower with her child and her ladies. Tyler and the other men in his family will rot in the dungeons until the king decides their fate."

"Their fate has already been decided," Bonnie pointed out. Tyler was not going to make it out of the dungeon and neither would his accomplices. The king was not the kind to be merciful to his enemies, that much Bonnie knew.

"Don't worry." Nik's fingers wandered over her shoulder, tracing her collarbone before moving towards her chest.

"How can I not worry?" Bonnie questioned. "My vision almost came true."

He growled at that painful reminder of her attack. He stared at the valley between her breasts, fingertips tenderly caressing the soft flesh. There was not a single mark on her skin, no evidence of her attack. She had truly healed herself. Nik couldn't help but feel in awe of his wife, her power, her strength, it was incredible. The adoration he felt for her, the desire burning his blood, it was unlike anything he had experienced before. He squeezed both breasts with his hands, causing Bonnie to close her eyes and moan.

"You saved me," Bonnie murmured, arching her back and leaning into his touch. The heat she felt inside her belly spreading all the way down to her toes.

"I believe we saved each other," his thumbs grazed her nipples.

Bonnie's breath hitched and she moved unconsciously closer, throwing one leg over his hip. She wanted him, she needed him like she needed the air in her lungs. "Nik…" her eyes were a shade darker under the candlelight and her cheeks looked flushed. "...the war...Tyler..." There was so much she worried about but with his hands caressing her, it was difficult to concentrate.

"Don't think about that now."

She closed her eyes and moaned as he continued to play with her breasts. Her hands touched him greedily too, moving over his chest, his arms, and down his stomach "…I…"

"What?" He bumped his nose against hers.

"I need you," Bonnie whispered, she was practically rubbing herself against him.

Nik grinned. "So, do I, love."

When he finally kissed her, she felt like she was flying. She felt starved for him, like she hadn't kissed him or touched him in many moons.

They kissed desperately, lips, tongues, and teeth, they couldn't get enough.

They parted briefly, needing air but soon enough they were kissing passionately again.

Nik rolled on top of her, pulling her arms above her head, fingers laced together. He trailed hot kisses down her neck and chest, mouth seeking her breast like a hungry babe.

Bonnie cried out when she felt the tip of his tongue lick her nipple.

The ghost of his smile against her skin had her trembling with excitement.

Her body melted against the furs while he brought her unimaginable pleasure with his tongue and fingers.

Nik mapped every line, every curve of her body with his hands and mouth.

Bonnie was burning, chanting his name like a prayer. "Nik..." she cried over and over again, that exquisite pleasure rising like a wave.

When he finally slipped inside her, her cry echoed around the room, causing the flames on the candles to nearly touch the ceiling. Her magic and her pleasure exploded simultaneously and Nik felt a delicious shudder run down his back. He almost felt blessed by the tendrils of her power and had to still for a couple of seconds as that incredible warmth washed over them.

Bonnie felt complete with him inside her. She wrapped her legs around him, hands squeezing his ass; urging him to move faster. Nik complied of course, thrusting in and out of her hard. He buried his head against her neck, playfully biting the soft flesh of her shoulder and enjoying the way his name fell from her lips with each of his thrust.

They kissed, they touched, they moved together as one until they fell over the edge once more.

Nik spilled inside her and rested his head on her chest, sated and content. Bonnie kissed the top of his head, holding him tightly in her arms. Their bodies were slick with sweat and slight tremors invaded them in the afterglow of their mutual climax. There was a big smile on her face as they laid there, joined still. It was perfect. Bonnie was not sure what tomorrow would bring but, in that moment, intertwined with her husband, she was blissfully happy.


End file.
